


Shades

by LFFLCollective



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Angst, Death, Drama, F/M, Lots of Angst, Supernatural Elements, dark themes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-26
Updated: 2018-10-26
Packaged: 2019-08-08 02:06:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 34,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16420310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LFFLCollective/pseuds/LFFLCollective
Summary: For years, Sarah Williams has been tormented by shadows. She doesn't know why, or what they want, all she knows is it started soon after that night. The Goblin King can only watch from afar in despair. But someone else hears her cries for help, and steps in. The King of the Dead. But, why?





	1. Chapter 1

Sarah huddled against the wall at the head of her bed, her eyes darting around the room, searching for any hint of the dark shadows that plagued her. Several lamps burned brightly, despite the late hour. It had been years since Sarah had slept with the lights off... even though the lights didn't seem to stop them.

She clutched the covers to her chest as the brightly burning lamps began to dim. They were here.

Slowly, the shadows gathered in the corners of her bedroom, oozing down the walls to pool on the floor. Her closet door clicked and Sarah jumped, a whimper escaping her lips as another shadow emerged from the closet and drifted across the room to stand at the foot of her bed.

Her limbs felt heavy and an unseen force shoved her back against the wall, crushing the breath from her body. She couldn't move, could barely breathe, but she also couldn't close her eyes. She watched, wide eyed with terror, as the inky figures gathered around her bed. They had no discernible features: no faces… no eyes.

A deep whispering, almost a chant, began. She couldn't understand the words, despite the fact that she could hear them clearly. Each and every one of the figures extended what looked like a clawed hand made of the blackest of clouds over her body as the whispering intensified.

Sarah struggled to banish them- to move, to pray, to fight back as Amanda had told her she must. Every day, Sarah felt more and more listless. Every night she got a little bit weaker.

Shadow People, Amanda had called them. Never human, and almost universally malevolent, the origins of these entities unknown. The medium had told her that they usually preyed on the weak: the young, the elderly, and the sick. As Sarah was none of those things, Amanda had been unable to explain why they tormented her.

"Sarah, there are a great many of them here," Amanda had whispered, looking round her nervously. "I've never, ever seen anything like this. I've never encountered more than one or two at a time. This is bad... really bad. You need to get out of this house, Sarah. As soon as possible."

"I can't," Sarah had shaken her head. "I'm stuck here for now. I can't afford to move, besides, they'll just follow me."

As the memories of her consultation with Amanda replayed in her mind, the chanting stopped. Between one moment and the next, the figures were gone. Sarah blinked as feeling slowly returned to her body. Only now could she sleep. It was over, for this night anyway.

"This has gone on far too long. I need help. There must be some way to deal with this! There must be somebody that can help me understand how to fight them! But who?" Sarah spoke out loud to herself in the night. "There has to be an answer! I'm sick of living like this!"

She reached for a throw pillow and punched it in frustration.

As she began to drift off to sleep, Sarah felt a pair of eyes on her. Despite her exhaustion she bolted up, looking fearfully around the room. The Shadow People rarely returned twice in a one night, but it had happened before. They seemed to delight in tormenting her, coming to her just as she was letting her guard down.

After several tense minutes of watchfulness, Sarah laid back down, her exhaustion finally taking over. She fell into a de. ep slumber, despite the feeling of being watched that persisted.

She was being watched. A pair of mismatched eyes gazed at her, full of anger and frustration, as they were every night. The shadows slowly reappeared as she slept, watching, always watching her... and there was nothing he could do until she called.

With a snarl, he threw the crystal against the wall.

"That stubborn woman! All she has to do is call for me! One wish Sarah! That's all you need to do and then I can help you! Too many nights have I watched your tormentors come to you!"

Jareth tapped his riding crop on the edge of his throne while he watched the orb floating in front of him. It killed him to see somebody else torment her. In his mind's eye, only he was allowed to make her life difficult. If only she would just think! She had to know that he would be able to help her.

Then an idea struck him. Though he could not go directly to her himself, he could use his magic to influence her world slightly. He remembered her music box, and thought perhaps if he made it turn, made her remember the night at the masquerade ball, just maybe she would think to make that wish. He produced another crystal and called up the image of her music box inside. As soon as the spell was set he cast it gently but swiftly into the air. The crystal flew off, headed for it's target.

Sarah's deep slumber had turned fitful with the return of the Shadow People. As she slept, tossing and muttering, she heard the metallic tinkling of the music box come to life. The song she hadn't bothered to listen to for years woke her. It startled her but it also comforted her a little. The tune played on.

"Jareth?" she whispered.

Menace rolled off the Shadows stationed around the room and a low growling filled air, overtaking the tinkling of the music box. Sarah screamed as the presence of her tormentors registered in her exhausted mind. All thoughts of the Goblin King fled in the face of the overwhelming terror that gripped her.

"No!" Jareth snarled in rage as he watched the Shadow People converge on her bed once again. It appeared that they were aware that he also watched their prey. Sarah's screams cut off abruptly, and Jareth was desperately afraid that they had finally taken her life.

With a twist of his wrist, he changed the angle of his view, relieved to see that Sarah still lived, although she was struggling to breathe under the weight of the Shadows' will. He continued to watch, tensely hoping that the brief flash of memory would be enough. He was tired of seeing Sarah grow old and tired before her time as the Shadows drained her life, and the magic of his kingdom, from her.

As Sarah struggled, a spark of a memory flamed in her mind. She remembered a time back when she was younger, babysitting her baby brother who had been especially difficult one night… With that memory, an awareness came to her amidst the darkness surrounding her. A phrase came to her mind from a very special old and tattered book…

"Say your right words..." The goblins said… a flame lit and she calmed her breathing.

"I wish the Goblin King would take me away! RIGHT NOW!" Sarah screamed.

From the Underground Jareth heard her words. A grin spread across his face.

"FINALLY!" He yelled.

Her awareness was fading as the Shadow People crushed the life out of her, greedily sucking it up. The world was growing dark, and Sarah simply stopped struggling. Despair filled her. There was no point. It had all been a dream... Jareth wasn't real and he wasn't coming to save her.

She didn't hear the wind pick up, moaning around the eaves of the house. The rumble of thunder that heralded the arrival the of the Goblin King went unheard as her tenuous hold on consciousness slipped briefly. She never saw Jareth step through her closet door, wreathed in a darkness of his own making as he faced down the Shadow People who arrayed themselves against him.


	2. Chapter 2

Jareth arrived in Sarah's room, knowing that he was outnumbered and magically over-matched. Even for him, the Shadow People were a serious threat. He steeled himself as they turned to face him, powerful with the magic and the life they had stolen from Sarah.

He glanced briefly at Sarah, relieved that they had left off draining her when he arrived. Her eyelids fluttered as she started to regain consciousness.

That brief glance was all he had time for before the Shadows converged on him.

Sarah had sagged against the weight of the onslaught, only slightly registering a change in the room. It wasn't until she was able to breathe that she noticed him, flickering her eyes open as the creatures turned, snarling and swirling around him with chaotic energy.

Relief and horror warred within her, somehow knowing instinctively that Jareth- despite being powerful and undeniably real - was also in very serious danger. Amanda's warning words once more rang in her head. She tried to warn him but struggled to find the words. "J-Jareth...n-no..."

She shouldn't have said the words. She tried to stand but her legs trembled as she attempted to move, only crawling a few steps along the floor.

The Shadows in the room drew themselves together, the very air vibrating with the fury of their interrupted victory. A slow hiss skirted over her senses and Sarah shuddered as Jareth's gaze registered the power within them. Briefly, he exchanged a look with her, moving his lips urgently. Despite not saying anything, she understood what it meant. 'Run!'

Sobbing, she dragged herself from the room, feeling the house quake as she finally forced control of her limbs and began to run down the stairs. A dull roar and a howl of pain echoed down the stairs as she flung the door open, running down the road as fast as her feet would carry her.

Jareth resisted, gritting his teeth against the pain as the black mass of Shadow Men swirled around him, robbing him of power. He realized quickly, as he struggled to summon a crystal, he'd need help. Having the perfect person in mind, he closed his eyes and hoped Sarah's survival instincts would keep her alive until he was able to return with reinforcements.

Crashing the crystal on the ground, a bright light briefly threw off the Shadows, long enough for him to limp through the portal and slam the barrier closed.

Goblins scattered, terrified at seeing their master covered in blood. He staggered, calling out a name, then fell to the stone floor of the Throne Room.

Moments later, a lone figure walked up, studying Jareth as it crouched over him, reaching out with a clawed hand to swivel his head towards its field of vision. Waving a hand, Jareth's wounds instantly healed.

A slow hiss had the cloaked figure turning, reaching out sharply and grasping the dark mass of the Shadow Man that had slipped in past Jareth. It nicked sharply, trying to fight the grip of the figure, but failed.

Sharp teeth smiled from under the hood as its claws drew tighter. Whistling, a pair of skeletal dogs appeared, snapping their jaws and biting at the Shadow Man.

Wrestling against the skeletal servants, the Shadow Man eventually lost and was sucked into the floor, vanishing from sight with the hounds dragging it to some dark place.

Jareth gasped, struggling to sit up, air roughly sucking into his windpipe. He winced when he saw who had appeared. "Ankou. You came."

The King chuckled, pulling his hood back to reveal a creature half fae, half something else. So beautiful, he outshone Jareth. The only thing marring his features being his sharp jagged teeth and dark eyes, he was frightening to even the Goblin King.

"Jareth. I'm so glad you decided to finally accept my little wager. Tell me, what are the stakes?"

"No stakes. Sarah's life and safety from these Shadow People in exchange for my soul, to do with as you wish. I cannot defeat them alone." He paused before continuing, "Her life means more to me than my own."

Jareth looked Ankou dead square in the eye. He'd meant every word.

Ankou chuckled and then it turned into a full belly laugh.

"I don't need your life Goblin King! But, perhaps your kingdom..."

"I'll give whatever you want to get rid of them! I cannot watch them torment her any longer! My magic is too weak in her realm. I need your help." Jareth was humble for once in his life.

"Whatever I want, you say?" Ankou grinned. "Now that IS an interesting offer from the Goblin King." The King of the Dead cocked his head and regarded Jareth with interest. Jareth flinched but did not look away.

A goblin ran across the room, tripping on a chicken and barreling into Ankou as he gazed at Jareth. The half fae looked down at the little creature in disgust, glaring angrily at it. As he did so, his true nature rose within him and he lost the fae veneer that had covered his features. It was only a momentary interruption, a blip in the magic that kept Ankou looking mostly fae. But it was enough to scare the little goblin out of his bladder control. With a squeak of fear, the little goblin imp fled as quickly as his little legs could carry him, leaving a wet trail as he did so.

Ankou turned back to Jareth, his face a bland mask once more. "Perhaps I don't need your kingdom after all," he commented, ignoring Jareth's unhappy stare at the other's treatment of his subject.

"Then what do you want?" Jareth scowled, becoming irritated. His offer had been more than generous, after all.

Ankou smiled with curiosity. "She must be some woman, my friend." His voice was light but Jareth wasn't fooled by Ankou's seemingly blasé comment.

"What do you want in exchange for helping me?" Jareth repeated, his voice betraying none of the panic that lurked just below the surface.

Ankou sighed, obviously disappointed that the Goblin King had not risen to the bait he had dangled. "Since you are anxious to have my help as soon as possible, lets just say that you will owe me, yes? We can work out the details later."

He offered his hand to Jareth, obviously intending to seal the deal. Jareth did not immediately take the offered hand. Instead, he eyed Ankou warily.

"I feel as though I'm dealing with Satan himself..." Jareth scowled.

Ankou laughed. "No, my friend, I'm certainly not Satan. He drives far harder bargains."

Jareth did not join in the laughter. "How can I tell, since we are not to talk terms until later?" He crossed his arms over his chest and looked pointedly at his guest.

Ankou laughed even harder at Jareth. " Oh, the dramatics with you! I just saved your life! Be grateful! I could've taken it myself at any time! But, I am curious about this woman. Why would you risk anything for this mere Mortal? And even dare ask for my help?"

***Aboveground***

Sarah ran until her feet felt like they were shattering at the ankle. Darting into a health store, gathering a few startled glances on her way, Sarah ignored them and forced herself to calm her nerves, sucking in large gulps of air through her lungs until the pounding of her heart slowed. Looking up at the aisle names and descriptions, she hurriedly darted down each until she found the cooking aisle, scanning labels and grabbing several bottles with trembling fingers.

"Miss? Can I help you? Do we need to call someone?" A soft voice asked from behind her, making her whirl and almost drop the handful of bottles she held in her hand. Shaking her head rapidly, she ignored the store manager's concerned stare.

"No, no. I just need...I'm...cooking..." She stuttered, used to giving random excuses for why she was unable to sleep or collected odd things. She saw the man pinch his lips together in concern and try to step forward, but she turned and hurried towards the cash register, dumping the bottles for the cashier to ring up.

The cashier gave her a curious stare but began to process her order. Sarah kept one eye on the store manager, who'd since moved to the head cash register and was picking up a phone, staring at her oddly. Reaching into her pocket, fumbling for her money, she glared at the cashier who finished her order. Throwing down enough money to cover the bill, she darted out the door before the manager could call for her to stop.

Finding an abandoned area in the park nearby, she hurriedly dumped her sac, ignoring the wailing she heard coming up from behind her. They were close.

Quickly, she assembled what Amanda taught her: A circle of anise, amaranth, basil, cacao, cayenne, chamomile, clove, cumin, dill, and fennel. Reaching into her pocket, she tried calling Amanda on her cell phone and simply got voicemail. Leaving a quick message, she whimpered as she heard the Shadow Men circling her but unable to pass the barrier she'd made.

Pressing her face to her knees, she settled in and hoped Jareth or Amanda would find her soon.

Sarah risked a quick glance through the milling throng of Shadow People, hoping to see some sign of another person who could help her. No one was there. This section of the park had been dark when she entered, but now that the Shadow People had arrived, shorting out what few street lights had been on, it was a pitch black patch in the brightness of the city.

She shivered. Sitting on the wet ground was soaking her. The wind picked up, sending bits of her barrier skittering against her. The herbs stuck to her wet leg and Sarah shivered, but this time it had nothing to do with the cold. A few drops of rain hit her and she cried out in fear and despair. Her barrier wouldn't last long if the weather turned.

Frantically, Sarah pulled out her phone and punched the button, calling Amanda again. As the phone rang through, Sarah thoughts whirled, punctuated by each ring of the phone on the other end.

-What happened to Jareth? What if they killed him?

::Ring::

No, they couldn't, could they?

::Ring::

Where are you Amanda!?

::Ring::

Somebody, please help me!

::Ring::

Please, please pick up the phone!

::Ring::

Jareth...

The phone clicked over to voicemail and Sarah once more ended the call with a whimper. The wind gusted again, a rumble of thunder sounding in the distance, and more of her barrier blew away into the park. Sensing that it wouldn't be long, the Shadow People pressed ever closer to the edge, their faces turned toward her hungrily.

Sarah was starting to panic when her phone rang shrilly. Her hands shook as she struggled to answer. "Amanda!"

"Sarah?" Amanda's voice sounded groggy. "What the hell, Sarah? Do you know what time it is?"

"Amanda!" Sarah gasped in relief. "I'm in trouble, Amanda. I need help!"

Her friends tone immediately changed, becoming sharper and more focused. "What's going on, Sarah? Where are you?"

"At the park, the one off of fourth street. They're everywhere, Amanda. My barrier won't last!" Another gust of wind whistled through the park and Sarah's barrier weakened even further.

With growls of triumph, the Shadow People threw themselves against the ever thinner wall that kept them from her. "Leave me alone!" Sarah screamed.

"Sarah!" Amanda's voice sounded far away as tendrils of inky blackness oozed through the widening cracks in her Sarah's defenses. "Sarah?"

With a guttural cry of triumph, the Shadow People burst through her defensive wall and closed in around her. Sarah screamed, her phone falling to the ground. Amanda's voice came through the speaker, unheard.

"I'll be there soon Sarah."


	3. Chapter 3

Sarah's eyes closed as she moaned, a low, keening sound of pain as she felt the icy tendril of one of the Shadow Men's talons skirting up her spine. She knew the exact moment it began to draw on her energy. A sudden feeling of exhaustion seeped through her body, robbing her of the ability to struggle against it. Sagging, she almost fainted, but managed to retain consciousness.

Suddenly - out of nowhere, it almost seemed - anger coursed through her veins. Jareth was real. She had bested him, the Goblin King. Where was that spitfire spirit now? Hiding, because she'd been haunted by these creatures the past few years?

No more.

Suddenly fueled with a rage she could barely explain, she shifted sharply and grabbed a fistful of herbs. "No more!" She screamed, shoving them in the direction she'd felt the Shadow Man settle in. A roar of pain and abatement of the siphoning she felt made her heart pound a little louder in resilience. She had bested a KING, she wasn't about to let a simple thing like a wraith take her down - she was Sarah Fucking Williams, Champion of the Labyrinth.

A slow clap interrupted her battle, the Shadow People suddenly pausing, before letting out a low shriek and vanishing quickly. There, in the distance, stood a cloaked figure that strolled forward and paused a few feet from where Sarah knelt in a heap of mud and crushed herbs. "Who are you?" She whispered, frowning, not able to see his face.

"Call me a friend," The mysterious man replied. "A curious one." The cloaked figure looked over his shoulder and spun a gloved hand in a circle behind him. Sarah shifted her gaze to see what he was doing and gasped, staring at Jareth who paced the throne room, his hands wringing in his hair.

"Ah, there he is. The reason you're being tormented by those creatures. Aren't you the least curious as to why?"

Sarah stilled, her eyes widening as her jaw hardened. "What?" She hissed, looking back at the cloaked figure. She didn't know why, but she could sense his amusement.

"I can tell by your expression, you didn't know. Come, come. Shall we fix this little predicament you find yourself in, mortal?" The cloaked figure held out his gloved hand, tempting Sarah with his offer. "You only need to take my hand and we can undo all this."

Sarah hesitated, remembering hearing Amanda on the phone. Still, she was so very tired - tired of Shadow People and days of lack of sleep - and found herself reaching out.

"Sarah - NO!"

Sarah heard Amanda's shout, and it distracted her. Looking over her shoulder, she saw her friend exit a cab and come running toward her. Sarah looked back at the cloaked figure, who kept his outstretched hand mere inches from her. The seconds stretched out into hours as Sarah weighed her options. Finally, with a whispered apology and a final backward glance at Amanda, she reached out and clasped the hand of the cloaked figure in front of her.

Immediately, they vanished from sight.

When Sarah was once again aware of her surroundings, she looked around, blinking in confusion. The stone of the walls was a deep gray, almost black and they were covered in midnight blue hangings depicting great hunts. Weapons lined the bare spots on the walls and the only light came from a few lanterns widely spaced around the room.

"Where are we?"

The fae man with her smiled and pulled his hood back. "This is my kingdom, of course."

Sarah stared, taking several steps back. He smiled patiently, as though he were used to that reaction. "Who are you?" she asked again.

"My name is Ankou," he said, stepped toward her.

Sarah held her ground, even though she had the urge to back away as he approached. Despite the man's fae beauty there was something even more alien about him than there was about Jareth. It was as though he were fae, but also something else at the same time.

"I thought- I thought you would take me to the Goblin Kingdom."

"Oh, I will," Ankou told her. "I thought that you might like to have some time to get some sleep, untroubled by any disturbances, of course, before you confronted Jareth about all this nonsense you've been going through."

Sarah glanced fearfully around at the shadowed room at the reminder of her tormentors. "They won't be able to get to me here?"

The man shook his head of dark hair in lofty amusement. "Trust me, young woman. Were they even as strong as they are within their own realms, they wouldn't dare. Here you are quite safe. I dare say from most things that might threaten you. Are you hungry?" He looked at her with a queer expression. As if trying to figure out what a broken baby bird would eat.

She took a moment to just observe him. Now that she could see him clearly by torchlight. He was astoundingly beautiful, but in a very strange way. Oblivion was in his eyes and a million goodbyes in his smile. She felt that he could be a very good friend, but the last one she would ever make. Sarah felt repelled by him, even as she was attracted to him. Like the urge to jump from a very great height. Unconsciously, she took a step back.

"No thank you, Sir. Just tired."

"Well then follow me, I will take you to your room." Ankou held out his hand, waiting for Sarah to take it.

She hesitated. It felt like the wrong thing to do, but she was so exhausted that she wasn't thinking straight. Her mind flashed briefly to Jareth. If the vision Ankou had shown her was to be believed, then he had survived his encounter with the Shadow People. Why had he left her on her own then? Was he really responsible for her nightly ordeals?

Sarah shook her head, and took the hand of her host. She was simply too tired to deal with all of these questions.

As Ankou led her, stumbling and exhausted, deeper into his castle, Sarah couldn't help but wish that she was in the Goblin Kingdom instead.

Jareth paced back and forth, his hands continually dragging through his hair as he worried about Sarah. Ankou had been gone for some time, and there had been no word on Sarah or her condition. Jareth had expected the King of the Dead to bring Sarah here to the Goblin Kingdom. Could it possibly be taking this long for Ankou to deal with the Shadow People?

Finally, Jareth tired of waiting and conjured a crystal. "Show me Sarah," he commanded.

The crystal flared in his hand but showed him nothing save murky, gray clouds. Jareth hissed in irritation and increased the magical energy he was feeding into the spell contained in the crystal. The magic flared again but the image cleared only enough to show him vague shapes, no more than shadows.

With a snarl, Jareth increased the power once again. He was now channeling almost more power into the crystal than it could take. He ground his teeth and grunted in exertion at the strain of maintaining that much power for a simple spell. Thankfully, the image, although hazy, was enough to show him Sarah.

She was being led into an opulent bedroom, hung all in black satin and deep blue velvet. He caught a momentary view of Ankou, holding her hand as he led her toward the bed and all rational thought fled his mind.

With a roar of anger, Jareth flung the crystal against the far wall before he began to pace. He tried to calm himself enough to think. He needed to get to Sarah as soon as possible. He didn't know what Ankou was up to, but he suddenly did not trust his 'ally', deal or no.

Jareth stopped at the window and stared out, not really seeing the Labyrinth spread out beneath him. He couldn't simply teleport into Ankou's kingdom. The King of the Dead took security very seriously. Living things were only welcome there with his express permission. Jareth sneered, he could teleport to a point closer to Ankou's realm and then find a way in, either on foot or in owl form.

With a grim expression, Jareth disappeared in a shower of dark glitter, leaving the goblins peaking around the corner of the throne room in consternation and fear.

Sarah stood on the threshold, looking around the bedroom dubiously. Suddenly, she was second guessing her choice to join Ankou here in his kingdom. Perhaps she should have made a different choice in the park. She shuddered as her eyes fell on Ankou once again. Clearly, he was of the Underground variety like Jareth, and perhaps from an even more sinister part of it.

Still, she knew she had little choice. "So what are you the King of, exactly?"

She was exhausted but forced herself to learn something of her new protector - or was it captor? She was so confused.

"The dead," Ankou relied, flashing her a grin as she snatched her hand back from his. He laughed faintly. "Rest assured, little bird, I've no desire to take your life. Come now, rest. I'll check on you in a few hours."

Sarah watched as he left her and closed the doors behind him. Looking around the room, peering into a few other doorways and seeing only a washroom and sitting room, Sarah finally climbed into the bed and fell asleep.

"Jareth..." she whispered as sleep took her.

"...Jareth."

He tensed. He was barely a stones throw outside Ankou's kingdom, pacing in a grove of trees just beyond the other king's domain. He heard her whisper, almost as if she'd been standing next to him. Now that he was close and she was back Underground, he could sense her presence once more. This, coupled with his inability to go to her, was driving him mad. Grinding his teeth in fury, he stilled as he felt the air shift behind him.

"It's very rude to spy, Goblin King. I'll permit it this once, but should you do it again..." Ankou's voice warned, the words like hard steel.

"You brought her here, of all places?" He snarled, ignoring Ankou's threat.

"Don't forget, you asked for MY help." Ankou glared at him for a moment before folding his arms over his chest and leaning back against a tree. "Now, back to what we discussed earlier. Tell me, are you willing to play along with my little game like I asked?"

"I already promised you a future claim on me in return for helping Sarah. What more do you want from me?" Jareth spat, turning his back on the King of the Dead.

Ankou pushed himself away from the tree, his hands dropping to his sides as he stared at the Goblin King's back. "Time," he said simply.

At that, Jareth whipped around to face Ankou. "Time? You want me to alter time for you? How much?"

Ankou shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest once more. His eyes turned hard as he stared at the Goblin King. "That's not what I meant, Jareth."

"Then WHAT!?" Jareth exploded, throwing his arms up in frustration and anger. "What time could you possibly need that involves Sarah? Release her!"

Ankou blinked, his expression impassive in the face of Jareth's rage. After several moments he shrugged, looking around the aged grove of trees they were standing in. "I do not answer to you, or to anyone else, Goblin King. I have stated that I need time, will you give it to me or not?"

"Give me Sarah and you can have all the time you could ever wish for," Jareth countered.

Ankou scowled. "You try my patience. Either you will agree to my terms or I will deposit Sarah back where I found her and leave her to her fate."

Jareth's hands curled into fists as he glared at the alien looking fae facing him. Ankou's features were subtly changing as his ire grew. He was slowly taking on a more skeletal appearance, his fae features blurring into those of the King of the Dead as they faced off.

Jareth stared, enraged at whatever game Ankou was playing. He forced himself to calm against the insultingly slow smile the other King gave him, knowing he had the upper hand.

If Jareth failed to agree, Sarah would be as good as dead within a day. He wouldn't have the time or magical energy to do anything but watch her die.

"Fine," he spat. "I agree to your terms. Don't forget, Ankou, she is  _mine._  Keep your hands off her," he growled, watching the other stare at him for a few minutes before throwing his head back and laughing, long and loud.

"You really do enjoy testing me, don't you? You are in no position to make threats, Jareth. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've a mortal to entertain."

Instantly, Ankou vanished from sight, disappearing like a scatter of shadows.

"I didn't say how much time I'd give you, nor did I promise that I wouldn't take her back, asshole," Jareth muttered, looking toward the domain of the King of the Dead with a determined expression.

Conjuring a crystal, he looked into it and ignored the slight irritation as Hoggle and Didymus appeared. "Your Majesty-" began the Fox, only to have Jareth cut him off.

"Didymus, Hoghead, you're in charge of the Labyrinth until I return."

"What..." they blinked, opening their mouths to ask questions, but Jareth had crushed the crystal to sand in his palm and settled his cape on his shoulders.

Drawing shadows around him, he slowly made his way towards the entry to Ankou's domain.


	4. Chapter 4

Ankou's steps were mere whispers against the stone of his keep. But in his isolation they sounded like cavernous echoes. He had many servants and vassals. All of whom usually made themselves scarce unless specifically summoned. A castle that housed hundreds felt completely hollow to the King of the Dead. Until now.

At first, he had approached Jareth's request with a vague sense of amusement. But anyone looking upon his face now could see he had turned quite serious. The Lord of the End, after all these long years, dared to think he felt the stirrings of a beginning.

Silent as the grave, he walked through the chambers that housed Sarah. Very carefully he opened the door to the boudoir.

Ankou could see the outline of her feminine figure on the bed. Catching himself hypnotized with jealousy as he observed the rise and fall of her breath. She was so soft and warm in this cold place. And so open. So alive.

His mind began to whirl with design.

"She could be the one I need."

Sarah shifted on the bed, slowly coming awake. Conscious thought returned, pushing aside the half remembered dreams of slumber as her mind drifted into wakefulness. When her eyes finally opened, she was briefly frightened at her surroundings until the memory of how she had arrived here came flooding back. She blinked hard, waiting for her racing heart to calm.

As she lay on the bed, staring up at the dark ceiling, she heard a knock on the door. Before she could answer, the voice of her host called out to her.

"Sarah? Are you awake?"

Sarah slowly sat up, brushing her hair out of her eyes and taking a deep, steadying breath before she answered. "Ye-Yes."

As she straightened her clothes and smoothed her hands over her hair, she heard him enter. Glancing over at him, she suppressed a shudder at the conflicting emotions his appearance incited.

Holding a hand out to her, he smiled. "Come, dine with me. I know you're hungry, I can hear the churning of your stomach. While you dine, you'll do me the favor of keeping me company?"

Sarah forced a smile to her face, even though she still felt at odds about the man, if she could even call him that. "Of course."

Forcing herself to rise, she took his offered hand. With a smile, Ankou tucked it into the crook of his arm and led her down the silent halls of his castle towards the dining hall.

She had expected a great hall with long table they'd have to shout across. But when she saw the target of her imagination, they walked right through it. Weaving out into a small dining nook on an outdoor balcony. A simple meal of meats, cheeses, and fruits was laid out on a table that could fit four at most.

But Sarah ignored the table. Her eye was captured by the dark beauty of the view and she found herself drawn to the railing. Ankou smiled and let her go, knowing that the view was indeed a sight to behold, although he himself had ceased to notice it years ago.

It seemed this part of the estate was perched on a rocky cliffside on some foreign coast. The sliver of the full moon sailed low over the water, hanging close to the horizon. A huge blanket of stars winked at their reflections in a vast and strangely still ocean. There was no sound of surf and only the slightest of breezes broke the silence as it stirred the dark vegetation growing in planters along the sides of the balcony. It was all familiar, yet alien. Much like her host.

She found herself sighing wistfully. Leaning into the oddly beautiful contrast of her circumstances. She didn't hear him as he walked up near her to share in the sight.

"Quite lovely. Is it not?"

She turned to face him at the sound of his voice. Slightly surprised at his closeness. She made the mistake of looking directly into his eyes.

There were an impenetrable black. Fathoms deep with frozen memory and bittersweet sorrow. Drawn into the bizarre sensation of falling beyond rescue, she could not look away.

And he would not. Meeting her stare without fear or contrition, taking in as well the chaotic emerald flames of the pure will to live in her eyes.

They stayed that way for a moment. Sizing each other up.

It was Sarah who broke against his ageless challenge first. Taking a step back as her voice pitched octave higher than usual.

"Looks fabulous! Thank you, I'm starving. "

She turned sharply toward the table, only to find him suddenly pulling out her chair for her. Very chivalrous, if unsettling. She cautiously approached, settling herself timidly on the edge of the chair. He waited politely for her to settle before he pushed the chair in. Sarah took a deep breath, taking herself in hand. She focused intently on serving herself from the variety of bowls and platters that were spread across the table, trying to ignoring Ankou as she did so. She found that he was impossible to ignore, however.

He walked around the table with the ease of a lazy breeze. His long gossamer like robes were a thick harmony of violet and dark blue. Utterly silent as they billowed around his movements and imposing frame. He crossed his legs as he sat across from her. And she got a small glimpse of loose fitting trousers grazing along darkly beaded slippers. He looked very relaxed.

That didn't help Sarah feel relaxed. Her mind insisted on analyzing the situation, despite her discomfort. Jareth had called on Ankou to help when he could not complete the task she had begged of him. He must be very dangerous. That knowledge only served to confirm in her mind that his comfort was not just ease. It was practiced and deadly precision. Like the grace of some deeply venomous predator, both enrapturing and terrifying. The opposed points of her attraction and repulsion were beginning to get very disturbing.

A small, knowing smile turned the corners of his mouth upward as he watched her. The shrewd look in his eyes, softened by his pleasant expression, told her that he had noticed her assessment of him and acknowledged her disquiet around him.

Sarah couldn't help but stare, not bothering to hide her inspection as she made herself take a few bites of the food that she had piled on the bone china plate that had been set out for her use. She chewed thoughtfully, trying to figure out what it was about Ankou that made her so edgy and skittish.

Although Jareth had made her uncomfortable when she ran his Labyrinth, she now realized that it had been a completely different sort of discomfort. That had been electric- tense and fascinating. She felt nothing like that from her host. Nor did he make her feel uncomfortable in the same fashion as the Shadow People. There was something about him that made her even more deeply ill at ease than anyone or anything else she had ever encountered. He had a way about him, a manner that made her very aware of her own mortality.

Still, she could sense that he meant her no harm. He was more curious, almost gentle, in his reflective inspection of her in turn.

"Don't you eat?" She asked after a few minutes of mutual inspection, becoming unnerved with the silence that dragged on while she chewed.

Ankou smiled faintly. "No. I do not need sustenance to survive."

"Oh," Sarah replied, feeling ignorant and embarrassed. Looking around, forcing her eyes away from him, she broached the subject of what had plagued her before she had come with him to his home. "The Shadow People. Are they from here? My friend..."

Her eyes widened. "Oh god, Amanda..." she weakly started, jerking to a stand.

Ankou held up a hand. "She is fine. I laid a protection on her. They wouldn't dare."

She studied him, then nodded slowly. For some reason, she trusted his words. "Are they...from here?"

Ankou shook his head, long jet black tresses waving slightly. "No one is from here. This kingdom is more of an outpost along the veil. The staff, and even I, all hail from different lands. Some come to serve me before they die, some choose to join after they meet their end. The Shadows, they chose to remain on this side of the veil. They were once creatures of all kinds, spirits who fought the reaping and stayed in the limbo of darkness. Over time, they become twisted and vicious. Feeding off the life of the living and especially on the release of fresh death to sustain and grow their strength."

Sarah sat down suddenly, her eyes wide. She felt the pit of her stomach fall and the food she had eaten had immediately become a tight twisted ball of discomfort in her torso. "What..." She closed her eyes and licked her lips, forcing herself to finish her words, her voice strained. "What are you saying?"

"I think you know," he replied softly.

She opened her eyes and looked back at him. "They wanted to kill me. I already knew that. I just...I just don't understand why. Why me? What's so important about me?"

Ankou closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath. Upon opening them he leaned forward and addressed her very directly. His voice was gentle, but his words carried weight like the vibrations thrown from a great bell.

Sarah realized she was no longer hearing Ankou her gracious host. But the grim reaper in all his wisdom.

"You are one of only a handful of mortals who have traversed from Above ground to Below and back again. You have the touch of a very powerful magical force on you. Eventually, the power would grow and your body would know longer be able to bear the strain. It would be a slow, long process that would leave you with most of your life to live. However, it makes you a very desirable target for these creatures. Not only is your life force strong. But when you do die, the resulting release of power would be...significant."

Sarah sat there, Ankou's voice slowly drowning out over the roar of her pulse pounding in her ears. Her hands began to tremble and she reached for the crystal goblet in front of her, trying to keep them busy despite still trying to digest what he was telling her.

Her hands were sweating and she almost dropped the goblet of water as she brought it to her lips. "The headaches..." She whispered softly, her face twisting into a tortured expression as what he told her finally started to sink in.

Standing sharply, no longer hungry, she marched to the edge of the balcony and stood there, looking out over the alien horizon. Sarah held the crystal goblet so tightly that she feared she might break it, despite the weight of it. She was angry and afraid, but mostly just confused. How could this have happened to her? Why didn't anyone tell her?

"I..." she struggled to voice what she wanted to say, feeling him coming up behind her. She whirled, glaring at him. "How long? How long did I have?"

He didn't move. But his voice was as inescapable as the truth he spoke.

"If you had gone undiscovered, maybe fifty years. When I found you..." he trailed off, looking seriously at her as though he were trying to decide whether she was ready to hear the bad news or not.

Sarah looked back at him with tears in her eyes. "How long?" she demanded, barely holding on to her emotions.

He met her gaze with regret. "Four months."

The water goblet slipped from her suddenly nerveless fingers, smashing against the stone of the balcony.


	5. Chapter 5

Jareth had known immediately when he crossed the border into the realm of the King of the Dead. The light of the waning moon and stars seemed to die between one step and the next, leaving him in almost complete darkness. He paused and channeled some of his magical energy into a crystal, which emitted a faint light. This crystal he set to floating about his head to light his path.

Still, he was careful to keep the light as dim as possible. Ankou's realm was an in between place, being neither fully in the land of the living nor fully in the land of the dead. In addition, it also straddled the border between the Underground and the mortal world above. Thus it was a place of ambiguity, and home to all manner of creatures that thrived on the chaos of uncertainty. A bright light would surely attract their attention.

The lack of light was what first got him into trouble. Beyond the pale glow of his crystal, Jareth was unable to see much of what lay within the dense blackness that enveloped him. As a result, he often blundered into bramble patches that tore his skin unmercifully. He also had to constantly duck low hanging branches, many of which were covered in clinging vines that threatened to wind themselves about his neck if he so much as brushed up against them.

Most recently, Jareth had stumbled into a fetid swamp. He was now struggling to find his way back to firmer ground when he first noticed the massive tree that seemed to be standing alone on an island in the center of the morass. Jareth made for the seemingly dry ground beneath the tree, laboriously pulling first one leg and then another out of the muck that threatened to suck him down as he fought his way through it.

It seemed to take forever to pick his way through the quagmire. Eventually, Jareth struggled up onto the island and sagged against the ancient trunk of the twisted tree that grew there. Although this swamp was not nearly as foul as the Bog of Eternal Stench, it was ripe enough, and Jareth wrinkled his nose in disgust at the smell that rose from his clothing.

As Jareth leaned against the tree, mentally cursing Ankou in his mind, he was unaware that the ancient oak harbored a resident.

Black Annis peered down from the branches above the head of the Goblin King. Her livid face was screwed up in a harsh scowl and her greedy eyes watched the Goblin King hungrily. It had been many years since she had last fed. Children, her favorite prey, were scarce in this realm. She had gone mostly hungry ever since she had been bound to this miserable little island by the King of the Dead, who had been forced to reap one too many little souls around her old home in Leicester. Once he had tracked her down, Ankou had forcibly removed both her and the ancient oak she had inhabited into his kingdom where he could keep an eye on her.

Her sharp teeth clicked and her claws scrabbled on the moss covered bark of the tree as she inched down the far side of the trunk. It had been too long since she had fed. Animals avoided her prison, and birds were all too few in this realm. She crept across the slimy ground toward the intruder. The hag, driven by hunger, was about to launch herself at Jareth's throat when he turned and caught sight of her.

Jareth had been fruitlessly searching for a semi dry path through the rest of the swamp when a movement in his peripheral vision made him turn. When he caught sight of the thing that was crouched no more than a few feet from him, he gave a hoarse cry and jerked a knife from his belt. Stepping back as far as he could, he held the knife out in front of him menacingly. He briefly considered just magicking it away, whatever it was, but he was unwilling to advertise his presence in Ankou's kingdom by using that much power.

The creature, which looked a bit like a very old woman, bared its sharp teeth in a snarl and flattened herself against the ground with a hiss.

"Stay back," Jareth commanded, deliberately setting his feet in preparation to repel any attack she might make.

The creature hissed again and then spoke. "I hunger."

Jareth shook his head. "I can't help you."

"Meat! Meat and skin! Skin to hang in Black Annis' Bower, though you be not a child." She licked her claws, her black tongue protruding obscenely from her wizened lips. She cocked her head to the side and narrowed her eyes at him, preparing to spring.

Jareth shook his head and risked a quick glance behind him. He was out of room. One more step would put him right back into the muck that he had so recently struggled free of.

"Not a child, but beggars can't be choosers," Black Annis croaked.

Jareth snapped his head back toward the creature, only to find that she had already launched herself at him. He yelled again, grappling with her as she knocked his knife from his grasp. He had to clamp down on his power, suppressing his first instinct to call on the magic of the Labyrinth to protect himself. He couldn't afford to have Ankou show up.

Black Annis was far stronger that she looked. Jareth was having trouble keeping her wickedly sharp claws from tearing into his face and throat, despite his own inhuman strength. She had already slashed his cheek, and he could feel the blood dripping from his jawline as he struggled with her, Wondering how he was going to get out of this mess.

In the end, it was pure luck that saved him. Jareth lost his footing on the uneven ground and tumbled backwards, landing flat on his back in the swampy mud. The creature, which had been attempting to slash at his face and shoulders, bounced off of some unseen barrier on the island and crashed to the rocky ground, keening in pain and loss.

Jareth struggled to his feet, gingerly examining the slashes on his face by touch. They weren't all that deep, but they hurt like the devil. Calling up just a trickle of magic, Jareth used it to seal the cuts, which turned into scabs instantly. He would have liked to heal himself completely, but that would require more magic. He might scar in the end, but if he got Sarah out of here, then he would count it a small price to pay.

Looking around, Jareth spied his knife caught in some reeds not far away. He retrieved it, never once taking his eyes from Black Annis as she crouched on the shore of the island. After several minutes, the hag creature scuttled back to her tree, glaring at Jareth malevolently over her shoulder.

The Goblin King heaved a sigh of relief and continued on his way, fighting the sucking mud and resolving to be more careful in the future.

Not long after, Jareth finally made it to the edge of the swamp and was relieved to see a faint track running in the direction he wanted to go. Before he had gone far along the path, he recognized a rowan tree growing not far away. He grinned and went to cut a stout bough from the tree. Rowan was a tree that mortals had regarded as a guardian force for time immemorial. Perhaps the tree would lend him some of it's protection tonight, despite the fact that he was certainly not mortal.

Sarah gasped at the feel of the cold water and jagged crystal against her skin. Her hands flew to her face. "I- I'm so sorry!" She swallowed, fighting the anger and grief she felt tearing at her throat.

Ankou held up a hand. "Don't move, Sarah." He waved his free hand and the pile of shards at her feet drew together and disappeared. "There, no harm done."

Sighing, she closed her eyes, her thoughts returning to her imminent fate. "Why even save me, then? What's the point?"

Ankou said nothing for several minutes. "Because he asked me to."

She knew who he was referring to but she pushed that information to the back of her mind. She couldn't deal with that right now. Opening her eyes, she looked back at Ankou, forcing herself not to cry. "Still, why help me?"

"Why do you want to know?" he asked.

"I'm trying to understand where you figure into all this," she whispered, frowning as she looked over him.

"You remind me of someone I knew," he started, then turned away, looking over the landscape.

She didn't know what to say to that. She twisted her hands together as she gazed out over the placid ocean with him. He was silent for so long that she wondered what she should do. Should she say something else? Maybe it would be better if she left?

She had nearly made up her mind to leave him to his brooding when he began to speak again. He seemed to have almost forgotten her presence, however, and Sarah got the distinct impression that Ankou wasn't really speaking to her anymore.

"She was exceedingly stubborn. And inconveniently brave. Almost foolhardy. But, she had a good heart that was always in the right place."

He turned around to look at her, as if suddenly remembering that she was still the there.

"The memory is not unwelcome."

For the first time it seemed to her that he felt slightly awkward and out of sorts. He blinked at her a couple times before nodding back to the food.

"Please eat. Your Goblin King would be most vexed indeed if you died of starvation under my care, Especially after all the effort he went through to have you rescued. He may not be of any bodily threat to me, but he can get fairly disruptive if moved to industry."

Sarah had to concede the point and sat down again. Picking at her food like a bird and not really tasting it. But she was eating and that's what mattered. She shrugged and mumbled.

"He's not my Goblin King. Not my anything really."

Ankou slightly raised his eyebrows in an 'is that so?' fashion before nonchalantly replying.

"Well if he's anyone's he's yours. He almost died today. Twice now, actually. Jareth is not in the habit of throwing himself into dire risk for just any mere acquaintance."

Sarah froze, a piece of fruit halfway to her lips. Frowning, she looked back at him, seeing Ankou's amused smile. "What?" Her tone was rife with disbelief but then she remembered the final moments in their 'battle' when he'd offered her things no ego-driven nemesis would have before she won.

"I see you're beginning to really figure things out," Ankou replied, not moving to join her. He gestured for her to finish eating and so she did, mulling over his words with a frown as she chewed the orange slice thoughtfully.

"Will I ever be allowed to go home?" She asked, avoiding the implications that Jareth still felt something, the words 'love me' flashing through her head. She wasn't ready to think about that right now. Not yet, not after what he'd said earlier. Jareth had offered himself as a sacrifice- but why? Ankou had said the Shadow People were his fault. Why? What did that mean? Did it mean she was trapped here, in this limbo?

"No," Ankou replied evenly. Her eyes moved to meet his, seeing the finality written in his face as well as his words.

"Ever?" She asked, her tone rising as her anger her rose with it. "You can't just get rid of them?"

"Sarah..." Ankou started, but she jerked to a stand again, glaring at him.

"So I'm a prisoner?" She snapped, gesturing around her. "In this… place? I didn't ask for this! I didn't ask for any of it! How do I fix it?"

Ankou simply stared patiently at her.

"I'm sick of magical beings trying to make me a pawn, kill me, trick me, capture me. This is bullshit, Ankou. Let me go home! At least say goodbye to my family, if I'm stuck here?"

"I can't allow that," he replied calmly.

"Why not?! What did I ever do to deserve this?! I've been trying to just live my life, but instead I get tormented by the Shadow Men every night! I'd give almost anything for a good night's sleep for once! But now you're telling me I can't go home, not ever! And somehow this is Jareth's fault? I don't understand!" She pounded her fist on the table in pure frustration, letting out an angry growl.

"You are safe in this realm, which is part of the reason Jareth called upon me. Even his magic isn't strong enough to protect you from them. Though he certainly did give it his all. And I don't doubt that he's working on finding his way here as we speak. He'd give up his soul for you. Offered it freely, in fact. But I'm not Lucifer, I don't care about his soul. There are other things I need..." Ankou said.

"In any case as I've said," he continued, "The amount of energy released from your death would give the Shadow People an unprecedented amount of power. Unleashing them on the mortal world in that state is something I cannot allow. You will stay here where I can keep an eye on you."

He ignored her growing outrage. "Jareth..." He closed his eyes, cocking his head as though listening to something. "...will be here shortly. I intend to keep him here as well. He can provide you with any additional companionship you may require. And, as an accomplished dream walker, may even be able to arrange your precious mortal goodbyes. But you stay here. That is final."

At the last the same weight rang in his words. The King of Death had spoken.

"Now if you'll excuse me, have a raggedy Goblin King to wrangle. I'll leave the explanation for his part in this to him."

He swept out of the room like an icy wind.


	6. Chapter 6

Sarah was furious and feeling helpless. Angry and unable to voice it, she grabbed her plate and slammed it against the wall of the balcony, and watching in satisfaction as it broke into a million shards.

Still, that satisfaction was short lived as the shards eventually disappeared along with everything else from the table.

Ankou had left her alone and she didn't feel like company, regardless of how pleasant or self-sacrificing Jareth had become.

Deciding to explore, Sarah wandered away from the balcony and began to investigate the castle. Something didn't sit right with her about this situation and she was going to find out what it was.

The first thing she noticed was the eerie silence of the place. If she strained to hear, she could pick up on the barest hint of whispers, but when she called out and disrupted the silence in which they started, everything went quiet.

She remembered Ankou telling her he had servants, but after an hour of wandering she didn't find a single soul in the large halls and empty opulent rooms of the castle. Frowning, getting more frustrated by the second, she paused as she neared another doorway and snarled, slamming her hand against the stone wall or the hallway.

"This place is even more confusing than the damned Labyrinth!"

"Well, what did you expect it to be? Peaches and roses?" came an amused tone, making Sarah whirl. She didn't recognize the voice, but it was friendly enough so she tried to find the source.

She didn't see a single person.

"Who are you?  _Where_  are you?" She demanded, frowning as she looked around.

"You're not looking correctly, Miss."

Sarah rolled her eyes, then closed them and concentrated. Finally, she felt a shift in the air and opened them again, blinking as she saw a housemaid who appeared like a gossamer spirit despite the maid outfit.

"We've been here the whole time, you know. Just gotta be looking right. We're not like you, you know."

Sarah just stared, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck raise. "Um, hi."

Jareth followed the track that had started near the swamp, gripping the rowan staff tightly in one hand as he went. The light from his crystal lit the ground beneath his feet in a wavering glow as it bobbed along above his head. The shadows thrown by his small bit of light played tricks on his mind and he kept seeing things out of the corner of his eye. When he turned to look, however, there was nothing there.

"Bloody hell, Ankou. Can't you just have a normal kingdom?" Jareth muttered under his breath, shivering slightly in the chill of the night. His clothing was still damp and it clung to him uncomfortably, sticky and clammy with the remnants of the swamp.

A low growling answered his question, sounding off to his left. Swiftly, Jareth spun towards the sound, his eyes trying vainly to pierce the darkness. He could see nothing.

Holding his breath, Jareth slowly encouraged his light crystal to drift toward the sound. As the shadows fled the small pool of light the growling abruptly stopped.

There was nothing there.

Unnerved, Jareth recalled the crystal, once again bathing himself in the comfort of the light. He gripped his staff even tighter as he continued on his way, his senses all on high alert.

As he traveled, his mind went over all of the possible threats that he could have heard growling on the side of the path. It had sounded very much like a massive dog. Eventually, he came to the realization that he had probably encountered none other than Shriker, the demonic hound that foretold death.

Jareth had a moment of panic as this thought crossed his mind. To see Shriker or to hear the squelching of it's footsteps was to hear the approach of your own death.

Jareth quickened his pace, wondering if he had just seen his own doom.

After nearly an hour passed with no more sign of the demonic dog, Jareth began to rethink the encounter. He had not actually seen Shriker, nor had he heard any footsteps. What then could the encounter have meant? Could it have been some other entity that had growled at him out here among the wind swept hillsides of Ankou's kingdom?

Jareth considered that, but dismissed it. He didn't know how he knew, but he was sure that the thing that had growled at him was indeed the forerunner of death. But if it was not there to warn Jareth of his own demise, why then did it make its presence known to him?

He blinked, all thoughts of Shriker leaving his head as he came upon another small road crossing over the path that the he had been following. Cautiously, Jareth increased the light of his crystal and stepped out into the crossroads, trying to get his bearings. He would have to be very careful. A crossroads was yet another in between place. Anything could be lurking here, waiting for the unwary traveler to stumble into its grasp.

A crumbling signpost stood off to the side of the crossroads. Jareth could just make out the words etched into the rotting wood. He was not far from Ankou's castle.

As he turned away from the sign, his attention was grabbed by a shadowy pile heaped at the foot of the post. He brought the light closer, curious as to what could possibly be out here on the lonely road.

The pile moved, undulating unpleasantly as the light hit it. As he bent over, trying to make out what moved there, the sickly sweet smell of death washed over him. Slowly, Jareth realized that he looked upon the remains of some poor creature that had died here at the foot of the sign. It looked vaguely as though it had once been humanoid, but was now unrecognizable,crawling with maggots and other vermin.

Gagging, he backed away hurriedly. Setting is face toward Ankou's keep, Jareth hurried away from the pitiful remains slumped at the crossroads.

He had not gone far when a crushing weight suddenly settled itself across his shoulders and back. Jareth gasped and stumbled slightly, leaning on his rowan staff in an attempt to bear up under the sudden pressure. It was as though something had mounted his back and shoulders.

"Rowan will not save you, wretch," a menacing voice hissed in his ear.

The weight on his back and shoulders shifted and became even heavier. Jareth struggled to throw it off, but whatever it was, it clung to him as surely as a tick burrowed into its prey. Slowly, the weight of the thing grew, until it was all Jareth could do to remain on his feet. Any mortal would have been utterly crushed by the pressure of his unseen rider.

Claws dug into his shoulders and the things rotten breath rolled over his face as it spoke again. "Now move, or I will slash your throat and leave you to the maggots, just like my last beast of burden."

"Hello!" The scully maid replied, grinning faintly at the uncomfortable look on Sarah's face. "I'm Brigid. Ye must be Sarah, his Lordship told us about ye. What were ye lookin' for?"

Sarah paused, not sure how open she could be with the maid, despite her friendly demeanor. "I was...looking for the library, could you show me where it is?"

"Yes, miss. This way," Brigid motioned, floating down a series of maze-like hallways for several minutes and finally pointing to a large engraved door, floating through the wall beside it.

Unnerved, Sarah used the door to enter the room in question. She figured that this was the safest place to start for answers.

After struggling to push the heavy doors open, Sarah paused on the other side, leaning against them so as to use her body weight to force them closed. As they swung ponderously closed at her back, Sarah gasped at the sight that met her eyes. The large room was cast in shadows but the sheer size was still evident despite the dim light.

Sarah slowly pushed herself away from the door and walked forward, further into the library. As she passed rows and rows of endless tomes and scrolls, floating fairy lights appeared to light up and cast a dim glow on the sections she passed. She smiled at the magical lights, thinking that they made the place seem less foreboding somehow.

"Well, ye need anything else, lass?" She heard Brigid ask as she floated through a row of books nearby.

Sarah forced herself not to scream. Regardless of how friendly the maid was, her presence bothered her. "What...what can you tell me of his Lordship?"

"Many things." Brigid said succinctly, looking placidly at her.

Sarah waited for a few beats, but the maid seemed to be finished. "Can you elaborate?"

"I am privy to certain items of knowledge I am not restricted from giving ye. If ye ask the right questions."

Ah. Of course. Fabulous. Sarah took a deep calming breath. Before she launched into a tirade against whatever clown invented the conversational etiquette around these places. When she felt herself to be better under control, she asked the question that had been bothering her the most since Ankou appeared to save her.

"What exactly  _is_  his Lordship, please?"

Brigid smiled, satisfied. "His Lordship is a Reaper, Miss. A King amongst reapers, but still servant of Death itself."

Sarah was little surprised but that. She couldn't really imagine that man being subservient to anyone.

"Is that his race as well?"

"No, Miss. His Lordship was born Fae before he swore his servitude. The reapers come from all races in all lands. But when they take they oath, they do change somewhat. And reside here."

Sarah looked around again. Could it be so much was hidden from her?

"Where are they all?"

"Quite nearby. This is an in between place ma'am. Ye could say there are three castles. One houses the living staff. A small step sideways in reality houses the dead. One step more and it houses the reapers. His Lordship prefers to reside between them. Which is where ye are now, as his personal guest."

Guest, pah! She considered her next question carefully. She might not get the chance to be this unsupervised again.

"What do you make of his character?"

Brigid seemed a little shocked and taken aback by the question. A thoughtful furrow appearing between her brows.

Sarah paused for a moment, concerned. Before asking, "Was that the wrong question?"

Bright shook her head rapidly. "Oh no, Miss. Just difficult to answer. There are very few of us with actual interpersonal experience with him. He certainly doesn't abuse us. Those who have spoken to him do mention his kindness, but also his power. I've heard he can reduce anyone to dust without so much as lifting a finger. The reapers revere him, but only a few are granted an audience with him so they might disseminate his orders. I will say this, however. It is his choice to remain as reclusive as he does. I feel no matter what manner of soul he has, he must be quite lonely."

Sarah frowned faintly, glancing around at the tomes. "He does not keep many guests?"

She knew the answer but the why part of the question is what bothered her. Why her? Why this place? Why not the labyrinth or the Castle Beyond the Goblin City? What was she missing?

"No, ye are the first in a long time." Brigid smiled faintly. "Yer a curiosity to us as well. More of us will show ourselves, the closer ye get."

"To what?" Sarah whispered, fearing the answer.

"To death, Miss."

Sarah shuddered, closing her eyes. She forced a smile to her lips, trying to not offend the maid. "May I...look around?"

The maid nodded. "All this is available to ye except the master's study down the hall, but ye'll recognize it when ye see it."

"Thank you," she murmured, turning and looking around.

Just as the maid was about to sink into a wall, Sarah whirled. "And if I need you again?"

"Just call me name, Miss. I'll hear ye."

Sarah nodded, watching as the woman vanished.

Steeling her nerves and straightening her shoulders, she decided to find that study, forbidden or not.


	7. Chapter 7

She wandered halls that would have given the Labyrinth a run for its money. But when she found the doors, she found Brigid was correct. She knew instantly.

Two great doors of shear obsidian stood dark and without adornment at the end of one passage. She quietly walked up to them and put a hand on the knobless monolith. It was ice cold. Bracing herself against the frozen pain, she pushed with all her might. The door slid open slowly and she slipped in when there was just enough room for her. The doors slamming shut behind her.

The room was utterly dark. She stood still as a statue for several moments to let her eyes adjust. A very, very faint light was being thrown by a large object in the room. Extending her arms as a furniture early warning system she carefully felt her way towards it.

It was a huge glass orb mounted on a twisted obsidian pedestal. Inside it was shadowed and clouded but a blue hazy light gently shone from it.

Gingerly she put her hand on it. It flared to life in a blaze of gold.

She just stared at it for a little while. Growing more and more mesmerized by the swirling and shimmering amber clouds. Slowly they cleared revealing a living image to her.

Her family. Daddy reading the newspaper while Karen nagged Toby to help with the dinner dishes. Her eyes grew misty. She had not yet realized how much she had wanted to see them. Was this like a crystal ball? How much would it show her?

"Show me Amanda," she whispered faintly. The clouds flurried again to reveal Amanda sitting in the police station and talking animatedly to an officer. She was filing a missing persons report for Sarah. Real tears began to fall down her face as she beheld her friend worrying sick over her.

How was she ever going to get out of here? Even if she only lived one hour after returning home it would be worth it to say goodbye, danger or no danger.

She covered her mouth to keep her weeping quiet as her body shook. Desperately trying to think of a plan. One thing was clear, if she wanted out she needed to know more about her 'host'. She shook her head to get a grip on herself and focused again on the image in the crystal. Planning her request carefully.

"Show me the key to Ankou," she whispered firmly.

The image changed again, but not into anything that she might have expected. She had expected a God of Death milling around a battlefield or coldly overseeing a procession of weary souls.

Instead, she saw him... alive. He was working on settling a new starter of bluebells in a garden. His hair was more tawny, and tied back at the nape of his neck, revealing a strong but gentle face. The weariness and sorrow were gone. Replaced with joy and hope as he nurtured the new life in his care. A pair of feminine hands came to rest on his broad shoulders. His bright blue eyes closed slowly as a contented smile lit up his features. Rising he swept up a beautiful woman with chestnut hair into his arms with a passionate kiss. Spinning her around as she giggled helplessly.

Suddenly the crystal went black and she was drowning in torchlight.

Ankou stood on the other side of the crystal, no more than an arms length away, his expression dark and foreboding. His countenance seemed to change, morphing into something far more terrifying than she had yet seen. As he stared at her, Sarah began to grow afraid, her heart pounding and her mouth going dry. The King of the Dead stood before her, absolutely livid.

Jareth stumbled and fell heavily into the muddy ditch at the side of the road.

"Get up, you worthless pile of shit."

The creature dug its claws into his shoulders to emphasize its displeasure and Jareth groaned in pain. Crawling slowly out of the ditch, Jareth tried to stand, only to fall heavily again. Sweat was running down his face and he was utterly exhausted.

The creature cackled. "You are pathetic."

"Shut up," he muttered to the creature. "You're not much better. What kind of coward are you anyway?"

The creature ripped its claws out of Jareth's shoulder, only to sink them into his scalp as it ground his face in the dirt of the road beneath them. He struggled to breath as the weight of the creature grew even more intense for a moment.

"You best keep a civil tongue in your head," the creature growled as Jareth coughed, his lungs desperately sucking up all the air they could with the massive weight pressing him down.

It pulled his hair for emphasis as it continued, "Now get up, you worthless ass, or I will slit your throat here and be done with you."

Jareth staggered upright once more, blood and sweat running down his face. When he was on his feet once again, the creature removed its claws from his scalp, only to reach an impossibly strong arm down over his shoulder and plunge its razor sharp claws into his chest, just over his heart.

Jareth screamed in agony, and the creature chuckled. "She will never love you, you know."

"Fuck you," Jareth growled. "What do you know?"

It flexed its claws, increasing the pain. "I am old, King of Goblins and I have seen much. In Scotland they called me Oschaert and men feared to meet me. In Belgium I was called Kludde and I delighted in riding young lovers as they slipped home from trysts with their ladies. But in Germany... ah, Germany. There they knew my true name and nature, for I was called Aufhocker."

"Leap Upon," Jareth muttered, trying once again to dislodge the creature that had attached itself to him.

A dark chuckle sounded in his other ear as the Aufhocker shifted its weight in response to Jareth's weak attempts to throw it off. "Very good, King of Vermin. Still, you will never win her heart, for you have already lost."

"How?" Jareth wheezed as he pushed himself to continue onward.

"You lost your chance years ago. You're far too selfish, you know. Too vain and self centered for any girl to ever fall in love with you."

In the distance, Jareth could just make out the towers and ramparts of Ankou's castle outlined against the sky. Dawn was coming,

Jareth sped up, pouring every last ounce of energy he had into getting to the castle as quickly as possible. Now that he knew what rode him, he had a faint hope of ridding himself of it, provided he could make it to his destination. He tried to shut out the whispered abuse of the Aufhocker, but it was impossible.

"She will fall in love with him, you know. The King of the Dead is not without his charms. You are doing all of this for nothing."

Jareth tripped, only managing to save himself from falling by crashing into the wall of the guardhouse that marked the entrance of the castle's courtyard. His shirt was in tatters and his skin was scraped raw by the rough stones.

"See, you are nothing! Certainly not man enough to win her heart. Forget her." The Aufhocker wrapped an icy hand around his throat as it spoke. "She doesn't care... and she never will."

"NO!" Jareth cried as he pushed himself away from the wall and lurched into the courtyard, barely able to keep his footing under the shifting weight of his tormentor.

The Aufhocker squeezed and the world began to waver and go dark. Halfway across the courtyard Jareth fell.

"See, can't even make it to the door. What a waste of a man."

Summoning the last of his strength, Jareth crawled the rest of the way, fighting for every inch as he fought for air. Finally, he collapsed at the foot of the stairs leading up to the castle doors. As his consciousness slipped away, he heard the crow of a cock sound, announcing the dawn.

With an angry cry, the Aufhocker loosened its grip and fled, its hold on him broken by the arrival of the dawn.

"Screw you, " Jareth muttered, breathing raggedly.

Sarah might have died. She wasn't sure. All she knew was she had forgotten how to to breath. It was impossible to believe that that man in the crystal was the man before her now. Staring relentlessly at her like a cobra before it strikes. Some purely animal instinct was screaming at her to remain as still as possible. She'd been caught, there was nowhere to run, and no way to fight. Maybe she could throw him off his game- distract him from his anger. On impulse she asked the first question to pop into her head.

"Who was she?"

Wrong move.

Faster than anything he had moved to her side and gripped her savagely by the arm. His face a passionless mask. Without ceremony or courtesy be began dragging her out the door and back down the hall. His long strides making her scamper as she tried to twist out of his painful grip.

A litany of pleas flew out of her mouth. "Stop! Where are you taking me? Let go of me that hurts! Please! I'm sorry I just wanted to find a way out!"

"Out?" He finally spat. "Out. Because you see this as a prison instead of your last sanctuary. Out. Because you don't understand that the second I send you back you will probably die. No goodbyes. No farewells. And dozens, perhaps hundreds, of people will die in your wake because you are a selfish, ungrateful child! Very well, if it's out you want then it's out..."

Both his words and his steps stopped as they approached the doors to his keep. The Goblin King standing before them. Covered in grime, blood, and various wounds as he breathed hard. Looking like he might collapse at any moment. Shaking on his feet.

She heard Ankou take a deep, slow breath. Looking up at him she saw his features once again shift to that of a kingly Fae. Then he released her arm and pushed her at Jareth.

"Enjoy your stay," he said calmly before walking briskly away. Fading into nothing as he went.

Her voice was almost a whisper. "Jareth?"

"Sarah!" He strained toward her. "You're alright! I was so worried..." He ran his fingers through his messed up, spiky hair, wincing as they dragged over the wounds in his scalp. The wounds began to bleed sluggishly once again but he ignored it, just looking at her for several long moments, clearly glad beyond all belief that she stood before him.

Sarah was terrified and angry. She dismissed his wounds, ignoring them as her emotions overflowed. She ground her teeth for a moment, trying to keep her outrage inside before finally giving up. She just didn't care enough anymore to spare him. The questions burst from her in a flood, the onslaught washing over him, bathing him in a tide of her anger and frustration.

"What the  _Hell_  is going on here? Why are YOU the cause of those Shadow Things tormenting me!? Why am I trapped here? You need to explain some things to me! Right now!"

Sarah's glare cut right through him and he remained silent, staring at her. His silence only irritated Sarah further "I want answers, Goblin King!"


	8. Chapter 8

Jareth took a shaky breath, the light in his eyes dying in the face of her anger. The Aufhocker had been right. He'd fought his way here for nothing. He didn't have a chance with her.

His shoulders sagged as he slumped against the door he had just come through. Her anger woke an answering ire within him, which grew in direct proportion to the pain in his heart as he considered her.

Summoning what little strength he had left, he pushed himself away from the wall and stalked toward her. "Ah, Sarah, grateful as always, I see."

For a moment something like shame flashed across Sarah's face, but it was gone too quickly for him to be certain. Instead, her eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms defensively over her chest, her chin rising in opposition.

"From what I understand, I don't have much to be grateful about at the moment," she said, backing away from him. He continued to pursue her until she had backed herself against the far wall.

"Really? I've come all this way, faced dangers you couldn't even imagine, and put myself at risk more than once. And I did it all- ALL of it, for you." He waved a hand indicating his juries and his disheveled state. "As you see, I am once again exhausted by your expectations, and this is how you greet me? By hurling accusations in my face!"

He reached out and placed one hand on either side of her, effectively pinning her against the wall. At least, that was how he was sure it looked to her. For him, it was as much to keep himself upright as it was to intimidate her.

"So, Sarah, do tell me.. what EXACTLY have I done that has offended you this time?"

"No, you do NOT get to make me feel guilty! Not now! Not after what he told me!" Sarah hissed, still furious despite Jareth's appearance.

"What did he tell you?" Jareth growled, his eyes blazing. Briefly, she was intimidated, but quickly swallowed that down. Ever the stubborn one, his Sarah.

Sarah said nothing, only staring defiantly up into his mismatched eyes. Jareth opened his mouth to say something else, but the words never passed his lips. One moment he was matching her stare for stare, and the next he whirled away, leaving her standing with her back to the wall. Sarah watched as he took several strides away, only to stumble and nearly fall, swaying with exhaustion and pain.

Angry, even more furious by the way he tried to force guilt upon her, Sarah was nevertheless keenly aware of the state he was in. His obvious pain and exhaustion pricked her conscience. She took a moment to assess his condition and then clamped down on the urge to yell, forcing herself to calm down. This was clearly not the time for a knock down, drag out fight. Jareth was clearly in no condition to be having this conversation in any case. He needed to get cleaned up far more than she needed to vent her anger and frustration.

With a sigh, she moved to his side. Leaning into him, she tugged his arm around her shoulders. "Come on," she said tersely, helping him move with her.

Jareth stared down at her with unnerving intensity but said nothing, simply hobbling along with her. She couldn't tell if he was surprised or simply biding his time, but either way, she was grateful for the silence.

Finally, after several moments, he spoke. His tone sounded tired, almost weary. "Where are you taking me, Precious?"

"My room. You're filthy and those cuts need tending." She ground out, still mad as hell but also empathizing now with how horrible he must feel, given his mangled state. The degree to which he leaned against her as they moved was proof enough of that.

Jareth did manage a weak laugh as she pushed him through the doors to her bedroom and then to her bathroom. "This isn't how I imagined being invited to your chambers, Sarah."

"Yeah, don't get used to it," she said shortly, looking quickly around the room. Not seeing what she wanted she raised her voice, calling for the helpful little maid.

"Brigid?" She waited, helping Jareth settle against the wall while she moved to start the bath.

"Yes, Miss?" She heard the woman's reply near her side and smirked faintly at the sharp inhale from Jareth. So even he was spooked by this place and its inhabitants. Good.

"I need bandages and tinctures, please."

The maid nodded and vanished from sight. Sarah turned and looked over the Goblin King. Indicating the steaming tub she asked, "Do you need help or can you manage?"

Jareth glared and Sarah simply rolled her eyes. "Leave your pride out of it. It's a simple yes or no, Jareth."

Jareth gave her a lupine smile. "I'd enjoy the assistance, but do keep your eyes to yourself, Precious."

Sarah gave him her most annoyed look. "I'll try and restrain myself," she retorted with disgust, moving to him to help him disrobe.

She heard the maid flutter in, this time through the door, since she carried tangible objects. Nodding to where she wanted them placed by the bath, Sarah helped Jareth disrobe and gently sink into the bath.

The smells and state of his body made her swallow hard. Forcing herself not to cry out in distress at the sight of his battered and bleeding body, she busied herself with the supplies Brigid had brought for her. Still, she was horrified at what she saw.

"Jesus, Jareth..." she whispered as she dipped a cloth into the hot water and set to scrubbing, ignoring the look he gave her.

Watching him idly as she scrubbed at his hair, she frowned. She was struggling to maintain the anger that had so far fueled her in her dealings with the infuriating fae King. But, nestled deep in her breast was a shard of emotion that twinged every time her ire rose, reminding her that his current state was the result of his fight to get to her. In any case, she was dying. Did he really not know?

"Why did you do it? I mean, you don't even like me. Did you lose a bet, or something?"

She remembered Ankou's words but wanted to hear them out of his own mouth.

"Oh you precious thing. After all these years, do you not know? Truly?" He was clearly exhausted, leaning his head back against the edge of the tub and closing his eyes under her ministrations.

"What are you talking about?" Sarah asked, still wanting to hear the words. She continued tending to him. Once his scalp was clean and the wounds on it attended to, She turned her attention to the deep lacerations on his torso.

"Brace yourself, this is going to hurt." She used the cloth to cleanse the wounds on his shoulders and back. She tried to be gentle, but she couldn't help causing him pain. Those wounds were deep and they had to be cleaned to avoid infection. She bit her lip as she worked. The one of his chest might be deep enough to require several stitches.

Jareth winced and swore as the water and soap stung the wounds. The water in the tub started to show a pink tinge as her cleansing started the wounds bleeding sluggishly once more. Jareth took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to control his reactions to the burning agony she was causing.

"I'm sorry," Sarah said, wincing.

"I know. It's alright," he told her. "It needs to be done. I can heal myself in a little bit."

"Are you sure?" Sarah looked doubtfully at his chest wound. "That looks like it needs stitching."

He smiled wryly at her. "I'm sure. Once I regain some of my energy, the magic will make short work of it, don't worry." She looked doubtful but nodded and continued her work, turning her attention to his back.

After several moments he spoke again, very quietly. "I'd do it again you know..."

"But... why?" Her voice was small. She was very glad that she was standing behind him. If she could look into his eyes, she might see the truth there, and it was a truth that she was still uncertain she was ready to see.

"Remember that ridiculous book? The one that you'd rehearse in the park?" He chuckled lightly. "I created that book for you, though you didn't know it."

He leaned forward, giving her slightly better access to the cut she was working on. "Think of that book," he instructed, "think of the story, Sarah. I know damn well that you know it by heart. Just...think for a moment." Jareth's voice was soft, almost pleading. He kept his face down, not able to look at her either.

Involuntarily, Sarah blurted out the line that had so captured her imagination as a teenager, "...What she didn't know was that the King of the Goblins had fallen in love with the girl and he had given her certain powers..." Her voice was distant as she spoke. She didn't even seem to realize that he'd tricked her into saying what she wanted to hear from him.

Sarah really didn't know what to say to that. Shaking her head in an attempt to banish the flush that suffused her face, she went back to her task. The water in the tub had now taken on a definite pink tinge under the gray of the dirt and grime that was sluicing away from Jareth's skin. It revealed a multitude of bruises to go along with the cuts that she had been cleaning.

Sarah frowned at the further evidence of his desperation to reach her. She considered his words, and his actions, realizing he must not know the true reason Ankou had kept her here. She didn't know how to tell him.

Silence descended on the room, as strong as any shouting match. Sarah finished bathing and tending his wounds, even helping him stand, though avoiding looking at him as he'd teased her about. Handing him a robe, she idly wondered what to say next when he did the talking for her.

"We're leaving in the morning," he started, tying the robe into place to contain his modesty. "I'm getting you out of this place. You'll set up in a suite that I'll have Hoghead prep for you and..."

"No," she replied simply, cutting him off in the middle of his speech, watching as he stopped and stared. Anger began to cloud his face, contrasting sharply with the pained look in his eyes as he studied her.

"What do you mean 'no?' Don't tell me you're still angry, after what I've done-" he started explosively only to have Sarah step forward and quite literally place a hand over his mouth.

"I can't," she replied calmly.

Jareth glared, tugging her hand away from his mouth. Rather than push her away, his hand closed over her wrist, pulling her toward him until she was leaning against his lean frame.

"Why?" he asked harshly.

She looked up into those mesmerizing eyes and was lost for an instant. "I can't leave this place. I'm stuck here."

"Sarah, I'm taking you back to my castle - no arguments!" He still clasped her wrist tightly as he looked down at her, his eyes hard and his mouth set in a stubborn line.

Saah sighed, looking down, away from his face. "You don't know the truth do you?"

"What are you talking about?" He placed a gentle hand under her chin and raised her face so that he could once more look her in the eye.

Sarah was about to tell him the real reason she couldn't leave. But suddenly a gust of wind picked up in the room, flames on the candles and torches that lot the room flickered, nearly going out. Instinctively, she clutched Jareth, shivering in the draft.

Ankou appeared on the heels of the draft. Before anyone could think of something to say, the King of the Dead chose to answer for her.

"She's dying, you fool." Ankou didn't mince words. Jareth froze, looked down at her, a stunned look on his face. He shook his head, the action seeming almost involuntary. He clearly didn't believe Ankou.

The King of the Dead continued mercilessly. "She was already marked as a Champion of the Labyrinth, with more power than was healthy. But then, you marked her as Queen by right of Conquest! She was a shining beacon to the Shadow People, you idiot!"

He glared at Jareth while Sarah scowled at this new information. Ankou gestured to their surroundings and continued to lecture them both. "It's only by staying here, under my care until her passing, that I can contain the situation. This is your mess Goblin King. As punishment, you will stay here with her. To be with her and protect her if need be. You will watch, and hopefully learn. I hope you made some arrangements for your absence. The next four months of your schedule are tithed to Death."

Ankou snapped his fingers and Jareth doubled over, losing his hold on Sarah, who gasped and stepped back. Light streamed from his body, flying towards Ankou's open palm. When the last particles of light had gathered around his hand, the King of the Dead closed his fist and the light winked out.

"I'll give you your power back when you have my leave to depart."


	9. Chapter 9

Listening to Ankou rant at him, Jareth felt as though is world were crashing down on him. He didn't want to believe what he was hearing, but one look at Sarah told him that every single word was the truth. He went numb at the thought, his heart refusing to accept that Sarah was dying, despite his brains insistence that it was happening.

As Ankou ripped his magic away, Jareth could no longer hear anything but a roaring in his ears. He began to sway where he stood as the world slowly went dark. The last thing he heard before the world went away was Sarah's voice.

"Jareth? Jareth!"

Sarah dashed forward as the Goblin King slumped to the floor, his head bouncing off the stones with a sickening thwack. Kneeling next to him, Sarah lifted his head into her lap, cradling it protectively as she checked for any further damage. When she felt no fresh blood, only a massive lump that was quickly forming, she glared up at Ankou.

"What did you do that for!?"

Ankou merely leveled his dark eyes at her. His face becoming drawn and taut with anger. His mouth stern with unquestionable authority.

She knew then. This was her half of the punishment - to watch Jareth suffer over his guilt and pain.

He inclined his head slightly, acknowledging the understanding in her eyes. He maintained eye contact with her until she blinked. When she looked again, he was gone, a swirl of wind and Jareth's unconscious form the only evidence that he had been there at all.

Looking down at Jareth, she felt a panging tug in her chest. It was similar to the one that she had felt as she worked on his wounds, but it was stronger… much stronger... than it had been before. It made her chest ache, with a wistful sort of pain. She stroked the hair back from his face, a few tears slipping down her face and she did. Then, realizing that they couldn't stay on her bathroom floor forever, she opened her mouth and screamed.

"Brigid, help!"

Jareth regained consciousness slowly... piecemeal.

The first thing he became aware of was that he was lying on something soft and comfortable. His wounds, which before had burned with fiery agony had cooled, reduced to a dull ache.

Next, his sense of smell began working again. He breathed deeply. Underneath the smell of medicinal herbs was another, far more enticing- vanilla and ginger. It was Sarah's scent.

Eventually his hearing also came back, although there was little but the sound of soft sniffling coming from somewhere on his right. He scowled slightly, disturbed by the sound. His eyelids fluttered.

Slowly the ceiling above him came into focus, the same dark stone as the rest of the keep. He blinked. The room around him was dark, lit only by a few flickering candles, slowly burning down to stubs. Turning his head sluggishly, he found Sarah slumped in a chair by his bedside, her hair hiding her face and her shoulders shaking.

"Sarah?" The sound of his voice surprised him. It was raspy and rough from disuse.

Sarah shot straight up in her chair, hastily moving her hands over her face before shaking her hair back and turning toward the bed.

"Jareth! Oh I am so glad you're finally awake!" She leaned over his bed, her hair falling over her shoulder as she looked at him seriously. "How are you feeling?"

"What-" he cleared his throat. "What do you mean finally awake? How long have I been out?"

Sarah bit her lip, looking as though she might start crying again. "Six days."

Groaning, Jareth pushed himself up to lean against the headboard. With a cry of anxiety, Sarah placed a restraining hand on his good shoulder.

"Careful! I had to stitch your chest. Don't open the wound again!" Tears stood in her eyes. Jareth closed his eyes against the sight and took a deep breath, carefully maneuvering himself upright.

"Six days? What- What happened?"

Sarah cleared her throat, making a visible effort to push the tears away. "After Ankou took your power, you- you collapsed. Later that night you got a fever. It didn't break until last night."

Jareth simply stared, disbelief etched into his features. He lifted a hand, trying to summon a crystal - and failed. He sat there, silent, then turned away, gritting his teeth.

Sarah swallowed, not knowing what to say to him. She was no longer angry now, just vexed at the unfairness of it all. She no longer held Jareth responsible either. The long days and nights of tending to him in his illness had given her plenty of time to reflect on the situation. It was just the way it was, she supposed.

As she watched him slowly come to grips with what Ankou had done, she suddenly felt responsible for his current plight. Standing, she came to sit beside him on the bed. He didn't move. When she began to pull back the covers he tensed, but still would not look at her. Ignoring his taut posture, Sarah kicked her shoes off and curled up against his side, resting her head against his shoulder. Comforting him in the only way that made sense to her now.

Eventually, he seemed to relax, but he still wouldn't look at her.

Sarah sighed, closing her eyes. "You've sacrificed so much for me. Had I known the price, I would have asked you not to." She wrapped her hands around his upper arm and pulled herself close to him, clutching him as though she were a lost, frightened child.

"And I would have ignored you," he whispered, finally turning to look at her. He raised his left hand, painfully bringing it over to place it comfortingly over top of her hands, holding her to him.

Sarah bit down so hard on her lower lip, she tasted the metallic bite of blood. Slowly, she pulled a hand free, reaching out to cupped his cheek. "I know," she whispered back, smiling gently. On a whim, she stretched up and brushed her lips over his. It was a chaste, fleeting kiss, but it spoke volumes.

Sarah pulled back. "Would you like to get out of bed? Take a walk?" She cleared her throat and smiled, hoping to lift the sad mood in the room.

Jareth looked down at Sarah. The dark circles under her eyes stood out in stark relief to her pale skin. She was thin and wan, but so hopeful that he didn't have the heart to refuse her. He nodded.

Jareth allowed Sarah to help him stand, even though he still felt as though his knees might give out at any moment. He managed to stay on his feet as Sarah fetched him a robe and helped him slide it over his wounded shoulders. He caught his breath as the robe snagged on the edge of the bandage covering his chest, sending a burst of pain radiating up and over his shoulder.

"Oh! I'm so sorry Jareth!"

Sarah stepped around him and gently detached the robe, smoothing it carefully over his chest, her hands lingering on him slightly longer than was strictly necessary.

Jareth reached up and covered her hands with his own. "It's fine, Sarah."

She blushed slightly and looked down. "Shall we?"

Jareth nodded and released her hands. Sarah slipped an arm around his waist to help him as they moved out into the dim corridor. He tried not to lean too hard on her as she looked nearly as exhausted as he felt.

By the time they reached the library, Jareth was working hard to hide his exhaustion. Sarah, helped him sit, then dropped down onto the couch next to him and stared into the fire burning in the hearth. The small glowing circle that radiated out from it was the only light in the room, and it made it feel as though nothing in the world existed but what could be seen in the warm glow.

Ankou's words came back to him as he watched the shadows chase one another across Sarah's melancholy countenance. His heart squeezed painfully.

"Are you really dying?" His voice sounded strange, even to himself.

Sarah glanced over at him. "Yes."

The look of passive acceptance on her face nearly broke him. "Is it- is it really my fault?"

Sarah sighed. "Yes, and no."

It wasn't the answer he had expected. "Yes and no?" He repeated, puzzled.

She turned to face him, drawing one knee up onto the couch as she did so. She kept her eyes downcast as she spoke, obviously not wanting him to see the pain that lay behind her emerald gaze. "There is blame enough for both of us. You didn't make me wish Toby away, but you didn't have to mark me as Queen either." He eyes flickered up to his face before focusing on the upholstery under her leg once more.

"You offered me my dreams, but I was the one who rejected them. Ankou says that once I defeated the Labyrinth, the Shadow People immediately became aware of me. The only thing that would have stopped them from getting to me would have been if I accepted your offer at the end. I was the one who rejected you, you see. So I really did it to myself."

There was no anger in her voice. She could have been repeating the multiplication table for all the emotion that she showed as she spoke. Jareth stared at her in horror. He really had ruined his chances with her years ago, just as the Aufhocker had said. Now, she sat here with him, trying to minimize his responsibility, even as she slowly succumbed to the power eating away at her body.

Sarah still didn't look at him and he sat there wondering why she was trying to make him feel better instead of the other way around. He wanted to reach out to her... to comfort her, but he wasn't sure how she would react. This strange, affectionate relationship of theirs was still too new, too tentative, for him to be confident in it.

Sarah looked up, turning her attention to something behind him. "Yes, Brigid?"

He turned sharply. There was nothing behind him.

Nevertheless a voice answered Sarah. "Would you two like me to bring you something to eat?"

"I suppose that if I say no, you'll tell Ankou on me again?"

"I'm sorry, Miss, but the Master was very clear on this. You are to continue to eat as much as possible." The disembodied voice continued and Jareth shuddered. Sarah, on the other hand, seemed very comfortable with it. In fact, she seemed to have grown quite accustomed to her surroundings.

"I see," Sarah said wryly. "Very well, Brigid. Please bring enough for two."

Brigid had a good heart. But she had over reacted a bit. Bringing them enough food to feed a family of six to ten.

Sarah began to eat sparingly. Jareth wondered if she had always eaten like that, or if this was yet another indication that her time was growing shorter. She clearly had little appetite.

In contrast to her, Jareth had piled his plate high, silently thanking the unsettling little maid for realizing that she needed to bring so much food. He was ravenous and it showed. Again and again, he filled his plate with serving after serving of the mountainous array that had been placed on a rolling cart not far away. Even without his magical powers, fea were creatures of great physical energy- and this fae hadn't eaten in seven days. They ate in silence for a while. Both trying to regain some measure of strength. Both lost in thoughts of their situation.

Eventually Jareth slowed, his appetite finally sated. He glanced over at Sarah's largely untouched plate. "You should try and eat more, Precious."

She smiled, glancing briefly at him out of the corner of her eye. She almost teased him that he sounded like Ankou, but decided now wasn't the time. Still, she watched him finish what was on his plate and forced herself to eat a few more bites. "How are you feeling now?"

Jareth placed his now empty plate back on the serving cart and look over at her. "Better. I'll heal faster now. Who was that? The girl... the voice. I couldn't see her."

Sarah looked over to where Brigid was tidying a corner of the library. She obviously heard herself being mentioned and shared a small smile with Sarah before disappearing altogether, gliding easily through the wall.

"That's Brigid," Sarah told him. "She's one of the maids. I can see her because..." she trailed off and saw Jareth briefly swallow. "Well, I think we know why."

She tried to lighten the mood with a smile but found herself at a loss for what to say next. She was concerned with how much the thought of losing him had affected her, however. Those nights spent waiting for the fever to pass had been awful. And soon he'd be in her shoes, watching her slowly pass.

It was all so unfair.

Finally, she seized on the first topic that entered her mind, blurting out her thoughts. "So, you said you made the book for me. Why?" She flushed, but didn't look away from him. She was glad to see a small smile grace his lips at her impulsive question. If she was going to die, then she was determined to spend the remaining moments she had focusing on happy things. There would be enough time for sadness later.

"I watched you for a long time." he told her. "You fascinated me. I had to find a way to get to you. You have such a pure heart and soul, and you're so strong."

He paused, a shadow passing over his face. Sarah could almost hear his thoughts. She wasn't nearly as strong as she used to be. She had become frail and delicate since her ordeal. She sighed and looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to continue.

"I saw you believed in magic and fairy tales. I knew, after you beat my Labyrinth that you would make a great Queen… but I didn't know that things would go this way. And then you walked away to live your life. I had no idea that those…  _things_ ," he spat the word, his voice full of loathing.

He paused, trying to regain his temper before continuing, "... that you would be in danger - that anything would find you and harm you…" He shook his head, his lip curled in disgust. "I couldn't even come to your aid until you called for me. I'm sorry Sarah."

"Hey, let's not go there with the blame game. I believe you," she offered, hoping for a truce. Still, she could see the signs of despair edging across Jareth's face in the way his mouth tightened as she spoke.

Her smile faltered slightly and she looked away, glancing into the fire. "I loved the book, you know. Well, you probably did. Did you watch me in the park?"

His face relaxed and a hint of a smile was playing across his face when she glanced back at him. She couldn't help but laugh. "I should be embarrassed but..." She shrugged but then looked sharply at him, her eyes wide. "It was only you watching, right?"

He actually laughed then, reaching over to cup her cheek. "You think I'd let any of my subjects watch you unguarded like that?" Briefly, his thumb traced her lower lip and he stared at her in a way that made her go still - how could she have ever doubted his love?

"Only I get to see you like that," he murmured. Briefly, he tipped his head forward and returned the kiss she'd given him earlier.

Sarah sat very still, allowing him to gently kiss her. Her fingers tingled as she clenched her hands into fists, flushed from the action.

He started to pull away and she moved like lightning, returning the kiss desperately. He groaned and leaned into her, consuming her with his mouth.

A brief hiss from him broke them from their reverie. "I'm sorry!" she whispered, knowing she'd pushed on one of his injuries.

"It's ok," he smiled, keeping her against him but ending the kiss. "Just sit with me."

She nodded and nestled up against him, staring into the fire. Eventually, they both fell asleep.


	10. Chapter 10

Jareth woke to find Ankou standing above them, scowling.

"You're supposed to be protecting her," Ankou remarked acidly.

Sarah was still snuggled against his side, so Jareth couldn't do much about his immediate desire to strangle the former fae standing over them. He had to settle for staring daggers at the King of the Dead.

"That would have been far easier if you hadn't seen fit to strip me of my powers," Jareth snarled in a whisper, careful not to wake Sarah.

Ankou shrugged. "I had to be sure you would both remain here."

Jareth ground his teeth as Ankou continued. "And you don't have to whisper. I doubt you'll wake her. The weaker she gets, the more she will sleep, and she barely slept while you were ill."

The anger drained out of him at this reminder of Sarah's fate, even as his heart thrilled to hear that she had been so worried about him. He had managed to forget, kissing her the night before, that she was dying. Now it came rushing back and he held her possessively close, his eyes closed as he tried to memorize the feeling. He resolved to make as many memories with her as he could.

If nothing else, Jareth would ensure that her final days were happy ones, even if those memories would end up being more torment than comfort during the long, cold years ahead.

When Jareth looked up again, Ankou was gone.

The King of the Dead paced in his study. Anyone who knew him could tell he was fuming with ire.

And yet, why should he be angry? Everything was going according to his design. He was depending on Sarah falling in love with the Goblin King. All of his plans would be for naught if she didn't warm to him. The little display he'd seen in the library should have encouraged him. But when he saw them entwined in a lover's embrace, so at peace in each other's company, he felt nothing but an empty wave of malignant envy.

He had gone so long without. Only the memory of great love to keep him company. That they should be so near to each other, and waste even a single second together... Venomous in his jealousy, it enraged him.

Patience was his mantra. The only thing that kept him sane. Patience. Patience. Patience. It would all be over soon enough. Rest was near. Just a little longer. Patience.

He floated over to the Seeing Crystal in the middle of the room. Laying a desperate hand on it he spoke in a broken voice.

"Show me Claire."

The golden fog cleared to reveal an image of a woman. She had kind brown eyes and a mane of unruly, nut brown hair. When she smiled or laughed her whole face lit up. The pure inner light he knew she possessed. That's how he always chose to remember her in his unending sorrow.

He stroked the crystal above where the apple her cheek was shown.

"Soon, my love."

A few days passed and Jareth and Sarah spent a great deal of time together. Ankou had made it very clear that they were to remain near each other, appearing to order them back together if they spent too much time apart.

That hardly mattered after the first several days though. They enjoyed getting to know one another, spending time together, just the two of them. The servants and Ankou made themselves scarce unless called, so Jareth and Sarah were often alone for hours at a time. They did not find the time at all onerous. Rather, as the days passed, they almost grew to resent any intrusion by others into their private little world.

Despite his joy in her company, the looming spectre of Sarah's death cast a shadow over Jareth's enjoyment, especially after dark. There were many nights where he grew restless, unable to sleep long after Sarah herself had slipped into slumber. In an attempt to ease his anxiety, he'd take to wandering the castle during the night, exploring the many twists and turns of the keep.

One such restless night, Jareth came upon a small ballroom as he wandered. Curious, he pushed the door open further and entered. The decor was far darker than that which graced his own ballroom, but it suited his current mood perfectly.

The candelabras were black with dark purple candles to fill them. Dark purple and blue wall hangings draped the walls and windows, along with tapestries embroidered in black and silver thread. The chandeliers over his head shone the same glossy black as the candelabras but were also adorned with dark purple and black glittering jewels. The mosaic floor was done in black marble, scattered with highly polished white quartz to represent the night sky.

In the corner of the room, half hidden behind dark purple velvet drapes, was a grand piano. Shining black wood carved with beautiful scrollwork, the instrument gleamed in the light of the lantern that Jareth carried. The matching bench was upholstered in lush velvet to match the drapes. The elaborate candelabra that sat on top of the piano was silver, but festooned with sparkling purple crystals that hung from its arms. The black candles were pristine, just waiting for the kiss of a flame to encourage the wax to drip elegantly down their sides.

Jareth looked around in awe, a smile slowly spreading across his face as a plan began to form in his mind. The next day, he would have to bring Sarah here.

Sarah slowly came awake, smiling as she felt a warm arm loosely curled around her waist. Shifting quietly in the bed, she peered over her shoulder and looked to see if Jareth was awake. He was, idly reading a book by candlelight at her side. He sensed her movement, glancing over and closing the book with his free hand.

Smiling, he leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to her mouth. "Good...morning?" He offered, grinning faintly. "I think it's morning. I can't honestly tell. Let's call it morning."

Sarah grinned and fully turned, snuggling close to him and resting her head on his shoulder. "Morning works for me."

"Your friend came by, still scared the spit out of me by the way. I'm really detesting not being able to see the servants." Jareth leaned towards the bedside table, slowly bringing back a cup of coffee on a saucer.

Sarah groaned in absolute pleasure. "Coffee. I love you," she gushed, taking the cup and sitting up to sip at the aromatic brew.

Jareth stared at the ceiling, making a pleading gesture. "Why couldn't you have tipped your loyal servant off, Danu? A cup of coffee and she's spouting words of love. That would have saved me a lot of time."

Sarah actually snorted as she sipped at the coffee. Looking over him, she didn't even bother to hide her interest as she stared, occasionally grazing a finger over a bandage. "How are they?"

"Shall we see?" He smiled, amused by the laughter brought on by his teasing. Looking down, he peeled a few bandages away. The wounds were still red but sealed and in no danger of reopening. There would be scars, however. He immediately heard her small gasp and leaned forward, giving her another faint kiss. "Think nothing of them, Love."

Sarah still frowned, growing quiet as she stared. Deciding to focus the mood in a more positive direction, he slowly stood, tugging a tunic over his chest.

Jareth motioned for her to join him, a smile on his face. She gave him a confused look but did as he requested, laughing faintly as he tied a scarf over her eyes.

"It's a surprise."

"So mysterious," she murmured as Jareth took her hand and carefully led her towards the ballroom he found.

Slowly, he led her across the room, keeping hold of her hands as he positioned her next to the piano bench. He felt Sarah's fingers tighten around his as he asked her to sit on the velvet bench. She sank slowly down, pulling her hands away to guide herself into the unknown seat. He watched her smile with delight as her hands met the plush velvet of the seat.

He seated himself next to her, smacking her hands playfully away when she raised them toward the blindfold. "Ah ah, Precious. Leave it alone."

She pouted a little, but returned her hands to her lap. He watched her for a moment, wondering what she would do if nothing happened.

After nearly a minute of silence she made an exasperated sound and asked, "Can I take this off now, Jareth?"

"Not yet," he said, his tone teasing. "The surprise will start any second now."

An answering smile crossed Sarah's face and her hands fidgeted along the velvet seat between them, sliding closer to his rear end. He grinned, knowing that Sarah was setting herself up to give him a good pinch, and started to play.

As the first few notes drifted through the quiet room, Sarah gasped. She pulled the blindfold from her eyes, and watched, entranced as Jareth's fingers danced over the keys. The tune was hauntingly familiar, but it wasn't until he started to sing that she recognized it.

"There's such a sad love, deep in your eyes. A kind of pale jewel, open and closed within your eyes. I'll place the sky, within your eyes..."

Jareth didn't look at her as he sang. His face remained down as he watched his hands move over the piano. Still, Sarah couldn't help but remember the intensity of his gaze the last time he had sung this song for her. Her heart ached at the feeling in his voice as he sang, and her mind was crowded with memories. She sat still, letting it all wash over her until the very end.

He brought the song to a close and let his hands fall into his lap. He didn't move, just sat there, staring at the piano until Sarah reached for him.

"Oh, Jareth," she breathed. "Thank you." She placed a hand on his arm, sliding it down until she clasped his hand on her own. She laid her head on his shoulder and simply sat with him.

Sarah didn't know how long the sat there, simply enjoying the quiet intimacy of the moment before Jareth spoke.

"You know, I didn't even check to see if this thing was in tune before I brought you down here." He chuckled. "That could have been very embarrassing!"

Sarah chuckled softly, lifting her head from his shoulder and pulling her hand from his so that she could caress the keys. "Yes, I suppose that it might have been. I can't say I am surprised though. With the number of servants running around here, there must be someone who is tasked with taking care of this beautiful instrument."

Jareth looked at her sharply. "I thought you could only see Brigid?"

Sarah shook her head sadly. "Oh no, I can see almost all of them now. There are so many of them."

Sarah sighed and let her head drop back onto his shoulder, already tired even though they had just risen. Perhaps it was just that it was always dim and gloomy here. She spoke softly, almost to herself.

"It won't be long now."

Jareth felt his heart almost stop at her words. To avoid breaking down, he raised his hands and just started playing the first thing that came into his mind.

After several bars, he added his voice, pouring out his feelings into this song even more than he'd done with the first.

"No more talk of darkness. Forget these wide eyed fears, I'm here. Nothing can harm you. My words will warm and calm you..."

Sarah raised her head from his shoulder and stood, moving to the side of the piano where she could watch his face as he sang. He looked nowhere but at her as he continued.

"...Let me be your freedom, let daylight dry your tears. I'm here. With you, beside you. To guard you and to guide you..."

He was shocked when Sarah opened her mouth and joined him, effortlessly turning his serenade into a duet. He fell silent, mesmerized by her clear voice as she took over her part of the song.

"Say you'll love me every waking moment. Turn my head with talk of summertime. Say you need me with you now and always. Promise me that all you say is true. That's all I ask of you."

Without missing a beat, Jareth took up his part once again, wishing that he really could protect her from what was coming.

"Let me be your shelter..."

They gazed into each others eyes as they continued to sing. They poured their hearts out to one another through the medium of song. Finally, their voices rose together, blending into one breathtakingly beautiful sound as they sang their devotion.

"...Share each day with me, each night, each morning."

"Say, you love me..." Sarah sang.

"You know I do."

Their voices melded together once again, just as their hearts had. "Love me, that's all I ask of you."

As the last notes faded, Jareth rose from the piano and strode over to Sarah. Her arms came up to encircle his neck, even as he pulled her against him, holding her securely.

"I love you," she whispered in his ear. "I'll always love you."

He pulled back, meeting her eyes. "I love you, too."

Their lips met, softly at first, and then with more passion. In that moment, it hardly mattered that they would have so little time together. He was hers, and she was his, and that's all that mattered.


	11. Chapter 11

Ankou's ears picked up an unfamiliar sound. A distant memory began to rush to the front of his mind as he wandered the keep in search of it.

Music.

How long had it been since he'd heard music?! Centuries, possibly more. Eventually he found the door ajar to the abandoned music room.

There he saw Jareth and Sarah. Singing to each other. With all the hope, love, and joy that they possibly could, despite their dim future. Sarah's eyes were gleaming with adoration, and Jareth's were full of wonder and gratitude.

Another unfamiliar sensation. His fingers went to his face to inspect the streaks of moisture now coating his face. He couldn't look away, even as his heart was breaking anew for the first time in thousands of years.

The King of the Dead wept, and never had he prayed so fervently for a death of his very own. As he stood there in the shadows of his home and his heart. Watching new love bloom under his roof, but just out of his reach.

Neither Sarah nor Jareth noticed their host watching them from the shadows.

"I didn't know you could sing," Jareth told her. They still stood close together, their foreheads touching.

Sarah giggled. "I can do more than that."

She stepped away from him and moved back to the piano bench. Seating herself, she surprised him once again as she started to play. After listening to her for a several minutes, Jareth asked a question, which Sarah answered. After that, they chatted, sometimes laughing, sometimes serious as Sarah continued to play.

It was impossible to tell how long this went on. Time seemed to be rather slippery in Ankou's realm. It could have been an hour or it could have been a whole day, Jareth didn't know, and as long as he was with Sarah, he didn't care. He did note that although they talked of many things, there was one topic that they both avoided: the future.

Still, he smiled as he watched her play. She played snatches of songs, jumping randomly from one to another, not settling on anything.

"A woman of many talents... I like it." Jareth remarked when there was a lull in their conversation.

"Oh yes, my mother made sure I had all the music and voice lessons I wanted; as well as acting lessons. After she left, I continued. She had hoped that I would be an actress... follow in her footsteps and all that and..."

She trailed off for a moment before continuing, but all her earlier buoyancy was gone. "-and it eventually became my dream, too."

Jareth winced. There is was, the elephant in the room. Trying to lighten the mood he asked, "Would you perform for me, Precious?"

She nodded but didn't smile. He leaned against the instrument as she paused in her playing, obviously trying to decide what to play. After several moments of silence, She straightened and took a deep breath before beginning to play once more.

Jareth went pale as he recognized the song. When Sarah started to sing, he gripped the side of the piano so hard his knuckles turned white. He tried to keep the emotion from showing on his face, not wanting her to stop. She needed this, no matter what is cost him.

"Think of me, think of me fondly when we've said goodbye. Remember me, once in a while. Please promise me you'll try...

Jareth kept his eyes on her as she sang, despite the way his heart was shattering as he listened. Her song brought the bleak, unending stretch of years he would have to live to the forefront of his mind. When it was finally time for Ankou to take her on to the next life, he would be alone, without hope of comfort.

He wanted to beg her to stop, but he couldn't bear to interrupt her.

"...We never said our love was evergreen, or as unchanging as the sea, but if you can still remember, stop and think of me. Think of all the things we've shared and seen. Don't think about the way things might have been..."

Tears coursed down his face. Silently he promised her that he would remember. Even if it should tear his heart out, he would not banish her to the recesses of his memory. For as long as he lived, a small piece of her would live on in him.

When it came time for the brief male part of the song, Jareth couldn't bring himself to sing. Sarah paid no mind, simply letting her voice fall silent and her hands continue. She managed to turn that portion of the song into a hauntingly beautiful piano solo that touched the hearts of both of the men who listened.

Ankou listened. Listened and mourned. And felt ashamed.

He would often lose himself in the image of his love. But not once had he allowed himself the sweet torment of reliving those precious memories they made together.

Their first stolen kiss by the waterfalls between their two villages.

The way she used practical jokes to bring light and laughter to every day.

Her unbearably loud snoring. And the way she nagged him to eat his vegetables.

The first time they made love under a field of stars.

Their wedding day.

Hope of new life being grown into their family.

Her death.

The pain of his promise to save her. Binding himself here. Only to lose her a few short years later.

His love. His Claire. He had put her on a pedestal out of reach even from him. How could he? How could he resign her memory to the shadows?

Ankou fell to his knees in despair. Helpless against the guilt and grief. All tinged with relief and gratefulness. That even after these many thousands of years.

He could still remember.

Oblivious to everything else, even to the presence of the men listening, Sarah played on. She was too wrapped up in the music to stop now. She poured all of her sorrow and her heartbreak into her singing. It was the performance of a lifetime... and it was all for Jareth.

Near the end of her song now, Sarah's face was covered in sweat. Hot flashes alternated with cold chills, distracting her slightly. She struggled to keep her hands from shaking as she took a deep breath in preparation for the soaring series of notes that preceded the final words.

Her hands stumbled over the phrasing in a difficult measure, but she recovered. When they stumbled again she shook her head, her face heating with embarrassment.

As her voice rose, her head grew light and a coughing fit overtook her. The piano fell silent and a wave of exhaustion swept through her. Jareth was by her side instantly.

"Sarah!" His voice was frantic, but Sarah could hardly hear it over the thundering of her heart and the hacking sounds of the coughs that tore from her chest.

She rose unsteadily, wanting to get away from the instrument before she collapsed on top of it. She stumbled and Jareth caught her, sweeping her up into his arms. Her coughing subsided, but she still gasped for breath as she rested against his chest.

Jareth crossed to a nearby couch in only a few strides. Sarah felt him hesitate for a moment before turning around and seating himself on the couch, her body still cradled in his lap.

"Are you alright, Precious?"

She nodded weakly, not trusting her voice not to break again. She swallowed hard and managed to whisper, "I'm so tired."

"Oh, Sarah. I'm so sorry. I didn't even let you get anything to eat before I dragged you down here this morning. I didn't even think about how much effort you put into singing with me. Then I pushed you too hard and-"

Sarah lifted a hand to his face, placing her fingers over his lips to stop his babbling. "I'll be alright."

Tears stood in his eyes and her heart broke at the anguish she could see on his face. "But you won't be," he said hoarsely. "You won't be ok. I'm- I'm not ready to let you go, Sarah! Without you, I- I..."

He trailed off as his arms tightened around her. "Please don't leave me alone, Sarah."

Tears poured down her face as she buried it against his shoulder, her arm creeping up to cling desperately around his neck. She wanted to stay. More than anything, she wanted to stay with him.

The dim room, which had so recently been filled with the sounds of music and love, now echoed with the sounds of their grief.

For awhile Sarah and Jareth stayed there. They tried to calm themselves, but they were so devastated at what little time they had left. Finally, at long last, they were on the same wavelength. Yet every moment that ticked by brought them closer to their inevitable separation, just when all the time in the world felt like it could never be enough. In that respect Jareth was grateful to Ankou for forcing him to be her protector. Although, at the moment, he didn't feel as though he'd done a very good job.

Sarah rested easily in his arms. In time, their sorrow ran its course and they found comfort in one another. They both fully understood how important each moment they had left was, and neither wanted to waste any more time on despair.

"Jareth?"

"Yes, Love?" He lightly stroked her cheek as she rested against him.

"I know I don't have much time...but I have one wish, it's something that means a lot to me."

"What is it? Perhaps I can persuade Ankou to give it."

"I never got to say goodbye to my family. But now I'm trapped here. So I guess it's a total loss." She sounded defeated.

Jareth thought a moment. "No. No, it is not. I know of a way that you could still say it to them and you don't need to go anywhere. "

"How?" She shifted so that she could look up at him, her expression puzzled.

Jareth looked in her eyes thoughtfully. "It's called dream walking. I can teach you, in fact."

"Wh-What?" She whispered, afraid to believe in what he was telling her.

"You have magic, that's been proven. I can show you how." He smiled faintly, forcing himself to ignore the clawing despair that threatened to consume him. He stood, still holding her in his arms as he strode back to their quarters.

"How long does that usually take?" she murmured.

Her arms tightened around his neck as he carried her through the halls and he frowned. The fact that she made no objection to him carrying her told him how weak she had become. Usually, her stubborn streak would have been enough to have her demanding to be placed on her feet, but she made no such demand. He briefly closed his eyes and steadied his breathing as he walked, pushing this fact out of his head. He had to stifle the sheer panic that reminder sent through his mind about how quickly her time was running out.

He gave no outward sign, but inside he was screaming in rage. What's happening? Ankou said four months! Why is she so weak so soon? It's too fucking soon!

He nudged the bedroom door open and gently placed her on the bed. "How about...if you trust me...I guide you into my dreams and together, we find them in the dreamscape. Do you trust me, Precious?"

Sarah settled against the pillow, smiling faintly as he slipped in beside her and pulled her to him. She barely moved and he had to once more force his panic down. "You know I do," she offered quietly, sounding tired.

"Sleep then. I'll find you. We'll find them together." He waited until she closed her eyes and then did the same, his head falling back to the pillow.


	12. Chapter 12

Darkness and light swirled around him as he dismissed the mists and sands of dreams that swirled around him like flickering candles. Slowly, he searched for her, calling her to him and watching as a single solitary grain of sand grew brighter and drew near.

Reaching out, he clasped it in his palm. Seconds later, felt her materialize in his arms. He held her securely, just as he had in the waking world. After a moment, she opened her eyes and looked around in wonder.

"Whoa..."

He smiled faintly, turning with her to survey the land of sleep. "Welcome to the dreamscape."

"I admit this is a whole lot less terrifying than what Ankou surveys over." She looked around in awe, not noticing Jareth tense in irritation at the mention of Ankou's name. "It's kind of unfair, don't you think? Everyone hates death, but it's just part of life. Like dreams, but no one hates dreams. Not really."

Jareth stared down at her, momentarily speechless at the wisdom of his Champion. She was frail physically, but her mind still astounded him.

"Are you ready?" he whispered. She nodded and he held her close. "Hold out your hand and think of them."

She did as he asked and slowly, a few grains of sand in the distance began to glow. Walking forward with her, they watched as the grains began to expand and glow until they formed a door.

"Grasp the knob and turn it," he instructed. He smiled at her hesitation and held her tighter in his arms. "I'm right here, love. I'm not going anywhere. You can do this."

She turned the handle and they walked through the door into the shared dream of her family.

The landscape turned into her childhood home. They found themselves standing in the master bedroom, the same place that Jareth had first made his presence known to her. She looked around, still in complete awe over the concept of dream walking.

Although Sarah waited expectantly, none of her family members appeared. "Where are they?" Sarah asked.

"Call out to them and they'll hear you," Jareth guided her.

"Daddy? Karen? Toby?" She called out for them in as strong of a voice as she could muster. In a moment she heard movement in the hallway.

"Sarah?! Is that you?" her father's voice sounded in response.

"Yes! It's me Daddy!" she answered. A sense of relief flooded through her and she relaxed even further into Jareth's arms.

"Honey, what're you doing home from school? I thought your semester wasn't over until next week," her father said, appearing in the doorway to his bedroom. He didn't seem to see anything odd about her sudden appearance in his bedroom, rather than at the front door.

Sarah stared, stunned at his nonchalant reaction. They didn't seem to know that she was missing yet. Briefly confused, she forced a watery smile to her face. Time must work differently wherever Ankou took her.

"Yeah," she laughed faintly, immediately noticing that he didn't see Jareth. Holding onto him tighter, she looked back at him and he gave her an encouraging smile. "We got let out a little early. I was able to test out before finals. Are Karen and Toby home?"

"Sure are. We're about to have dinner. Want to join us?"

"Sure," she immediately replied, glancing at Jareth. He nodded and held her close as they moved down the stairs. She heard her father calling to Karen as he momentarily disappeared into smoke, only to reappear at the base of the stairs, walking towards the dining room.

Sarah tensed but Jareth soothed her. "Remember, Love, this is a dreamscape. No matter how real it looks, this place has its own rules. Come, let's go."

She nodded and let him carry her down the stairs.

They entered the dining room and Jareth gently set her on her feet. She smiled up at him before turning to the table.

Toby dashed in, practically vibrating with excitement. "Hiya Sarah!"

He threw himself at her, knocking her off balance as he wrapped his arms around her midsection. Sarah stumbled back slightly, grateful for Jareth's solid presence behind her that kept her from falling.

"Hi Toby!" Sarah laughed, happy to see her little brother.

"Toby, try not to knock Sarah over," Karen admonished as she came into the room carrying a dish of lasagna.

Toby laughed. "She can take it, right Sarah?"

Sarah swallowed hard, the smile disappearing from her face. "Yeah, Buddy. I can."

Her father materialized in his seat, surprising her. "Let's eat!" He said jovially.

"Mmmm, this smells great!" Sarah grinned.

Jareth kept watch over her from the corner of the room. Sarah's spirits were uplifted, being there with her family. Jareth could see the sadness leaving her for the moment. It did him good to see her happy. His eyes strayed to the boy sitting next to Sarah. He couldn't believe how big Toby had grown. Still, Toby was the same lively little chap that he remembered. The thought made even Jareth smile to himself.

"So, what brings you home early? You could have stayed with your friends if you wanted. We'd have understood," her father asked as he helped himself to a full serving of Karen's lasagna.

Sarah eased back in her seat. Beside her, Toby picked at his lasagna suspiciously. She bit back a laugh as Karen leaned forward and smacked his hand. "Quit picking at your food and eat it!"

Toby looked sideways at her and rolled his eyes but did as he was asked, eating mostly noodles. Sarah knew why - Toby hated cottage cheese, and ever since he discovered Karen's recipe book and read that the lasagna had a healthy layer of the stuff, he treated it with disdain, determined to pick it out of his food.

She leaned in and whispered. "Just imagine it's not there, silly goose."

Toby rolled his eyes but did as she asked and was astonished to find no more weirdness in his food. He grinned at her and she smiled, ruffling his hair with her hand.

"Thanks, Sarah. You're the best sister ever."

Sarah's mouth trembled but she smiled, so happy to hear that. He hadn't yet reached that age where it was uncool to think the world hung off his big sister and she reveled in that, studying him as he ate.

Remembering that her father had asked a question she turned her attention back to him. "No reason," she replied, smiling at him. He returned her smile with a fatherly air that Sarah suddenly realized that she had missed. Back when she was a teenager, that same look had driven her crazy as she imagined it to be patronizing. Now she realized just how lucky she had been to have a father like him.

"I just missed you guys. You know I love you, right? No matter what?"

"Of course we do, silly. What's brought this on?" Her father smiled, jokingly inquiring between bites of food.

Sarah smiled at her father again. How could she possibly explain?

She shrugged, "You know, it's a big cliche that when the older kid goes off to school they forget their parents. I just want you to know, that's not me. It won't ever be me. You will always be in my thoughts. Especially when I can't see you or...you can't see me."

Sarah pause and cleared her throat. She expected her family to give her odd looks to go with the strange speech she had just made, but they seemed to just take it in stride. She reminded herself again that this was a dream and normal reactions weren't necessarily to be expected.

Having given herself that reminder, Sarah continued, "But tonight I am just going to enjoy my family. This looks delicious! Did you also make dessert Karen?"

Karen nodded with vigorous pride.

"This afternoon I made a six tiered wedding cake!" She clapped excitedly.

Sarah laughed, shaking her head at Karen's dream antics. It was clear where her step-mothers thoughts went in regard to her step-daughter.

"That sounds just perfect. Then maybe we can play a board game?" Sarah suggested.

The night continued much this way. Easy company and inside jokes for what seemed like hours. Just time... for the last time.

Eventually, her family started to yawn and Sarah reluctantly stood and stretched. "I'm beat," she remarked to no one in particular.

Her Dad and Karen nodded and stood, starting to clear away the Monopoly pieces, but Toby pouted. "Awww, I don't wanna go to bed."

Sarah smiled a little sadly. Same old Toby. "Come on Tobes, I'll tuck you in, huh?" She held out a hand to her little brother, who brightened and grabbed it.

As they headed upstairs, Sarah heard footsteps behind them. Her heart started pounding as she imagined being followed by something sinister. She looked back, relieved to see that it was only Jareth, following along behind them. She had been so wrapped up in the near reality of the dream that she had all but forgotten he was there.

Toby, meanwhile, was chattering away. "Tomorrow we can go to the park and hang out, and then maybe we can bake cookies, and then watch a movie while we eat them and then-"

Sarah cut him off as they reached his bedroom. "That sounds great Tobes, but let's talk about all that in the morning, 'kay? For now, just go get your jammies on." Toby raced off and Sarah called out "Don't forget to brush your teeth!"

Jareth chuckled behind her, "It's a dream, remember. It doesn't matter if he brushes his teeth."

Sarah sighed, "I know, but I can't help saying it."

Toby was back quickly, dreams being what they were, and Sarah tucked him into bed, placing Lancelot into his arms and giving him a kiss on the forehead.

"I love you, little man. You know that, right?"

Toby nodded and gave her a hug. "Love you, too, Sarah. Glad you came home early."

"Me too."

Sarah rose and made her way quietly to the door. She paused to look at her brother one last time before turning out his light with a smile. "Night, Toby."

Sarah closed the door quietly and looked at Jareth. She kept her strong face on for maybe a half second before she dissolved into tears in his arms. Rubbing her back he kissed the top of her head and held her tight for as long as she needed.

"It's...it's not fair!" she bawled.

Jareth nodded somberly. "No. No, it really isn't."

They stayed like that for a few minutes as the environment faded away to the malleable place they'd started in.

"Precious, it's not yet time to wake up. Would you like to go anywhere else?"

Sarah sniffled and pulled herself out of his arms, thinking for a moment.

"Amanda! Oh, she must be worried sick. Let's find her next."

She thought of her dear friend and held out her hand as she'd done to find her family. But instead of the cheery familiarity of the last door, this one was like nothing she'd ever seen before. It was black and decaying, with disturbing flotsam creeping through the aged wood.

"What is this?" she asked Jareth.

His face and tone were very serious as he replied, "She's having a nightmare- a strong one by the looks of it. We won't be able to change the dreamscape in there unless we can shake her out of it."

Sarah hesitated a bit before grabbing the rotting handle, "We have to try and help her." She said resolutely, and walked through.

It was dark, but she knew instantly where they were. This was the street corner Ankou had taken her from. That first night seemed a lifetime ago, but this time it was different. She was watching the scene from where Amanda had been standing. And indeed, Amanda was next to her now. However, now her friend was bound and struggling against great green vines that held her helplessly in place as she stared fixedly in the direction of the park. Sarah turned to see what she was seeing. It was not exactly what had happened.

It was much, much worse.

Sarah was clamoring for help, clawing against the pavement. Ankou, now wearing an evil grin and giving voice to a screeching laugh, grabbed her by the legs and was pulling her into a miasma portal. Sarah was screaming as she struggled.

"Amanda! You have to help me! Why didn't you get here sooner?! Why didn't you protect me?! This is all your fault!"

Amanda was crying and trying with all her might to reach Sarah.

"Hold on! I'm coming! Just hold on!" It was hopeless. The more Amanda struggled, the tighter her bonds became. The scene replayed, over and over in this torturous fashion, a never ending loop of misery for Amanda.

The true Sarah, standing beside Amanda as the scene unfolded again and again, was horrified. Desperate to stop the harrowing scene from repeating itself yet again, Sarah stepped in front of Amanda, trying to block her view of the helpless Sarah being dragged away. Grabbing the young woman's shoulders, Sarah forced her friend to look up at her, staring right into her eyes.

"Amanda, you have to stop now," she said calmly.

Poor Amanda looked very confused. Trying to see around her to the Sarah in distress.

"But...but you're in trouble! He took you!"

Sarah held Amanda's face in her hands. "I am right here. I am not in trouble. That isn't me. I am fine. I went with him willingly. He was... help, sent by a dear friend. I'm safe, but I have to stay with him or those things will keep coming after me. I  _promise_  I'm safe."

Amanda blinked slowly as she processed what Sarah was saying. The vines disintegrated and the sinister laughter Ankou was emitting cut off abruptly. Quickly, Sarah used her will to guide them to a sunny meadow while Amanda wasn't creating their surroundings.

"You're really ok? When will you come back?" Amanda asked, her voice strained.

Sarah sighed, this time she had to be straight. "Probably never. I am only safe in the realm where I am. But... I wanted you to know something." She grabbed Amanda's hands and held them tightly. "This was not your fault. I survived as long as I did because of your help, because you believed me. You are my dearest friend, and I will always love you. From wherever I am."

She leaned forward and kissed her friend's forehead before smiling at her "No more fear or guilt. Ok, miss thing?"

Amanda giggled slightly at the use of the old nickname before she looked back at Sarah. "This is really goodbye?"

"Yes, I'm afraid it is." Sarah paused, wanting to ask, but also afraid to do so. It would make everything so… final. Eventually she drew in her breath and plunged ahead. "Can you do something for me?"

"Yes, of course. Anything."

"Can you check in on my family from time to time? Especially Toby. I don't want him to feel alone in this."

Amanda nodded through fresh tears before releasing her hands and grasping Sarah in a desperate hug.

"You take care now you hear? Wherever you are."

"I will if you will."

"Deal."

The two stayed that way for a long time before the world abruptly shifted back to the dreamscape.

"She woke up," Jareth explained. "It's nearly time for us to wake too."

Sarah nodded, numb from all the sorrow. With the next breath, they blinked out of that fragile existence.


	13. Chapter 13

Jareth opened his eyes and immediately turned to Sarah, expecting to see her deep green eyes looking back at him. Instead, he was confronted by the sight of her thin face and closed lids. The dark smudges under her eyes looked like bruises against her increasingly pale skin.

"Precious?" He stroked her cheek, trying to wake her, but got no response.

Sitting up and throwing himself out of the bed, he bent anxiously over her, checking her vital signs. To his relief her pulse came back fairly strong. He tried once more to wake her, but she remained unresponsive.

He considered summoning Ankou. Jareth was not usually one to panic so quickly but he had expected her to awaken when he did, after all, it was the time of day that passed for morning in this kingdom. In the end, he remembered what Ankou had said about how much longer she was likely to sleep as the got weaker. Deciding not to bother their host, he sat in a chair at the side of the bed with a sigh. Picking up a book, he tried to read while he waited for her to wake up.

It was some hours before the cadence of her breathing changed, indicating that she would awaken soon. Jareth had spent those hours trying, and failing, not to worry about her. Was this how she had felt as she watched over him in his fever, he wondered?

"Jareth?"

Turning to the bed he smiled and tossed the book aside. "Good Morning, Precious."

"Is it still morning? It feels later."

Jareth nodded. "It is, but only barely."

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

Her face clouded but he stroked her messy hair and hushed her. "It's fine, Sweetheart. You need your rest."

She smiled and closed her eyes, leaning into his touch for a moment.

"Thank you," she said. When she opened her eyes they were shining with unshed tears. "I can't tell you how much it means to me that I was able to see my family and friends. Thank you for showing me how to do that."

Jareth swallowed hard as a lump formed in his throat. "Don't I always fulfill your every wish, Precious?"

"Yes," she smiled. "You do."

That was the beginning of Sarah's bedridden days. She ate her meals in bed and slept for longer and longer periods of time. Jareth stayed with her the whole time, playing backgammon or cards. Sometimes flirting to the point of even being ridiculous, because they both knew she was too fragile for such things. One day she had a peculiar request.

"Jareth, would you please tell me a story?"

"Of course, Precious, which book would you like me to read from?"

She shook her head, her hand drifting slowly toward him as he sat by her bedside.

"No, none of those. Make one up for me… please? I like the sound of your voice. I want to hear it used for your own words."

Jareth took her hand gently, considering her request before beginning his story-  _their_ story.

"Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young girl who's step mother always made her stay home with the baby." Sarah smiled and closed her eyes, content to listen to his soothing voice as she rested, safe in the knowledge that he was with her. Jareth took a shaky breath and continued, "She felt wounded and ignored by her father and his new bride. In her frustration she called out to the devilishly charming Goblin King. Demanding that he take the child."

Sarah broke into a smile at that self serving description of himself, but didn't open her eyes. She squeezed his hand slightly, encouraging him to continue.

"The Goblin King fulfilled his required role as the villain to her heroine, but it hurt him very much to do so, so in love with her was he. With her light and the magic of her imagination that put some of the greatest storytellers to shame, how could he help but love her with his entire being?"

Jareth moved to sit on the bed, turning so that he was facing her. "She ran his Labyrinth and defeated him, rejecting the offer of himself and his power in order to save her brother. For many years, no words passed between them, until one night, she called for him."

Sarah opened her eyes, watching his face as he continued the story down a different path. Jareth worked hard to keep his face from showing the pain and anguish that lurked just below the surface. He had sworn to make her last days happy ones, and he would do whatever it took to make sure that happened.

"He appeared to her in her living room, where she had set two places for dinner. Over that meal they reconciled the past and moved towards their future. Many days they spent having all kinds of adventures together in her world and his. Until that very special day when he asked her to be his wife."

Now even Jareth was caught up in the story. They smiled at each other and he hurried to continue.

"The beautiful girl heartily agreed and became the new Goblin Queen, ruling over his subjects with the mother's touch that they so desperately needed. His mother didn't like her at first, but soon they became good friends, gossiping like schoolgirls and having tea together every week."

"Together, the Goblin King and his radiant Queen hosted seasonal balls and traveled on diplomatic missions to dozens of new lands. They traveled throughout the Underground, until the day the Goblin Queen told her King that they would have to start remaining at home. He was confused, asking her why they would need to curtail their travels. She smiled and gave him the wonderful news that he was going to be a father. Later that year, she presented him with his firstborn, a daughter, who they named Hope."

Here Jareth paused, swallowing hard, trying to force the lump in his throat to recede. "Hope was the darling of the Underground. Everyone loved her. Too soon, they saw her married to a very honorable man who lived none too far away so they could easily visit one another."

Jareth squeezed Sarah's hand again, hurrying to finish now. "Thousands of years later, surrounded by their kin and loved ones, they passed into the Summerlands hand in hand, where they lived happily for eternity."

Tears had started to roll down Sarah's cheeks, but she was smiling brilliantly. "Yes," she said. "Yes, it happened just like that."

Smiling through his own tears, Jareth took a ring off his pinky finger and put it in the ring finger of her left hand. His hands were shaking slightly.

"Yes, it did," he whispered thickly.

They sealed the unspoken promise in a tender kiss.

Sarah didn't wake up the next day.

Jareth hovered anxiously by her bedside, but she continued to sleep, seeming to grow more and more fragile with each passing hour. He forced himself to be patient. He tried to convince himself that she would wake up soon. But he couldn't stop the fear that she would never again open her eyes from taking over his thoughts.

As he laid beside her that night, holding her close and listening to each breath she took, Jareth found it very hard to sleep.

She didn't awaken the next day either.

By evening, Jareth had grown frantic. He was pacing anxiously, not taking his eyes off of Sarah's still form as she lay on the bed. Her skin was beginning to look translucent and he couldn't help but notice that there was a terrible beauty about her, even as she faded away. He paused at the foot of the bed, staring at her, willing her to wake up, as though his mere desire for it could make it so.

He was just turning away when Ankou walked in.

"How is she?" The King of the Dead asked quietly.

"She's dying, you asshole, shouldn't you know that?" Jareth snarled, his grief making him short tempered.

Ankou looked sorrowfully at the frail woman on the bed before turning his attention back to Jareth. "You need to get out of this room, Jareth."

Jareth glared at their host. "I'm not going to leave her," he snapped. "You gave me this task, and I will not abandon her."

Ankou sighed. "Jareth, I'm not making a suggestion. You need to get out of here, for your own sanity. You need to get away for a few hours. Immersing yourself in death isn't healthy."

A ghost of a smile flitted across his face but it was gone, replaced by a bitter twist of his lips, as quickly as it came. "Believe me, I know better than anyone what harm wallowing in the death of a loved one can cause. I won't allow you to make that mistake. So leave. Now."

Jareth crossed his arms over his chest. "No."

Ankou narrowed his eyes. "Don't make me throw you out, Jareth."

The two stared each other down for a few moments, neither one willing to back down. Eventually, it was Jareth that looked away.

He looked over at Sarah, his brow furrowed. "What if she wakes up... or- or dies?"

"She is close, but not that close, my friend." The King of the Dead put a comforting hand on Jareth's shoulder. "I swear to you that she will still be alive when you return. Her time has not yet come."

Jareth nodded, refusing to look at Ankou as he turned and left the room quietly. Ankou stood, looking down at Sarah for several minutes.

Eventually he sat in Jareth's abandoned chair and started to speak to her, despite the fact that she was probably unaware of his presence. "No, Sarah... you are not ready to go yet, but I am puzzled as to why you have faded so quickly. By my reckoning you should have had another couple of weeks, at least."

He paused, reaching out to lay a hand over Sarah's as it lay outside her blankets. "There's something wrong here, but I'm not sure what it is," Ankou murmured to her.

He sat quietly for a few more minutes before rising and heading for the door. He paused at the threshold, glancing back once more before he strode off, heading deeper into his keep.

In the shadows of Sarah's room, something sinister watched him leave before it, too, slipped away.

It was time.

Jareth strode out of their room and wandered aimlessly down several hallways before he even stopped to wonder what he should do. He was briefly tempted to defy Ankou's orders and simply return to Sarah's bedside, but he decided against it. It simply wasn't worth the fight that was likely to ensue.

Jareth started walking again with no clear idea of where to go. He was filled with a restless energy that told him he needed to move, so he did, paying no attention to his surroundings. He soon became lost in contemplation.

After wandering aimlessly for about an hour, Jareth once again took stock of his surroundings. He was not far from the music room where he and Sarah had sung together. A small smile flitted across his face and he headed in that direction.

When he reached the richly adorned room, Jareth headed straight for the piano. Sitting on the plush purple velvet bench, he stroked the aged, ivory keys of the instrument before softly beginning to play.

Sarah opened her eyes slowly. She was tired, but not as tired as she had felt the last time she was awake. She looked around for Jareth, her brow furrowing when she couldn't find him.

"Jareth?" She called softly.

Brigid drifted through the wall near the door. "I believe he's in the music room, Miss."

"Really?" Sarah looked wistfully at the door.

"Why don't I help you up?" Brigid asked with a small smile.

"Huh?" Sarah looked at the ghostly form of the maid. As Brigid had promised, the closer she got to the time of her own death, the more of the servants she could see around the castle. Now, Brigid looked even more solid than Sarah herself did, if that were possible. Still, Sarah had avoided letting any of the staff touch her, not knowing what it would feel like and not wanting to find out.

"Here now," Brigid said, bustling forward and pulling the covers back before Sarah could say anything else. "Up we go." Her voice was cheerful and encouraging, and Sarah couldn't help but smile at her.

When Brigid placed a hand on Sarah's back and physically pushed her into sitting position, Sarah gasped. Not because there was anything strange about the young maids touch, but because there wasn't.

She blinked at Brigid. "You feel..."

"Normal, Miss?" Of course. "Told ya we would get more and more real the closer you got, remember?"

Sarah nodded and swung her feet carefully to the floor, choosing not to dwell on it. Brigid fetched her a robe and helped her stand. To Sarah's relief, she was not as unsteady on her feet as she feared she would be.

Still, it might be wise to make sure help was available if she should have trouble on her way to find Jareth. "Brigid, would you walk to me to the music room?"

"Of course, Miss." The maid smiled gently as Sarah set off, leaving her bed behind.

Sarah had less trouble navigating the hallways than she expected to. It was as though her long sleep had reinvigorated her. She was feeling better than she had in days, although she knew it would be short lived. She wanted to make the most of it while she could.

As Sarah approached the music room, the melancholy sound of the piano reached her ears. Jareth was playing, his song full of sadness and heartbreak.

When she reached the door, Brigid smiled and patted her arm, "You call if you need anything, dear. Someone will be close by." With that, the little maid drifted away, soon turning a corner and disappearing from Sarah's sight.

Quietly, Sarah opened the door and stood just inside the room, starting at Jareth as he played. He sat in a small pool of light cast by the few candles that were lit. He looked fantastic by candlelight, Sarah had to admit. She admired the way his muscles moved beneath his simple shirt as he played, and the way the ever present glitter in his hair sparkled in the flickering light.

When she had the sight of him memorized, Sarah closed her eyes and simply listened to him play. The melody was simple, but the counter melody was rich and full. Together, they wove a song that spoke of deep sadness and unending despair.

Sarah felt the tears run down her cheeks. When she was gone, he would be alone, left on this side of the veil to continue his life without her. Would he one day marry? She doubted it, although she hoped so. She couldn't bear to think that he would live the rest of his life drowning in his sorrow.

When the song came to an end, Jareth paused and Sarah opened her eyes. She slipped away from the wall that she had been leaning on and approached him on silent feet. She was growing tired but she was sure she could make it across the room unaided.

She reached him just in time. Her knees gave out as she reached the bench and she sat heavily, panting. Jareth jumped at the sudden touch of her hand on his shoulder.

"Sarah!" He stood and gathered her into his arms. She rested gratefully against him, still a bit irritated that she had grown so frail as to need this kind of treatment, but happy he was here to do it nonetheless.

"How did you get here?" Jareth asked.

"I walked, of course." Sarah said.

"But-"

"Don't worry, Brigid made sure I got here just fine," she hastened to assure him.

"Brigid... but isn't she a-" he broke off with a bit of a shudder.

Sarah smiled and shook her head gently. The mighty Goblin King, getting the willies about a perfectly friendly spirit like Brigid.

"A ghost? Yes, but she feels quite solid to me," Sarah said. Closing her eyes as she rested against his chest.

Jareth said nothing, only tightening his arms around her and holding her as she drifted between sleep and wakefulness.

A thought crossed her mind and she forced herself awake so she could share it with him.

"I've been back to see my family again," she told him.

"Really?"

She nodded slightly, fighting to keep her eyes open. "I'm so glad you showed me how to see them in my dreams. It makes me... feel so... much better..." She once more started to drift off, safe and comfortable in his arms.

Jareth stood, waking her once again. "We should get you back to bed," he told her, his voice heavy.

Sarah wanted to protest, to tell him that she didn't want to go to bed, that she didn't want to sleep anymore, but the brief burst of strength that had gotten her here seemed to have disappeared.

Suddenly Brigid's voice was wailing out in the corridor, getting closer and closer with each passing moment. Sarah could tell there was something wrong, just from the way she sounded. A shot of fear jolted through her, pushing the fog of weakness that had enveloped her aside.

When the maid burst into the room, Sarah could tell that something serious was going on. She looked out of breath and rumpled, as though she had been running for quite some time. It would have been odd to see a rumpled ghost if the news she had brought hadn't been so frightening.

"They're here! They're actually attacking the keep!" Brigid wailed.


	14. Chapter 14

Jareth looked around wildly, still not able to see the staff here at Ankou's castle. "Who? Who's attacking?"

"The Shadow People!"

Jareth tensed, glancing around sharply as Brigid screamed and pointed. Sarah looked over her shoulder and felt the first flicker of real fear spark to life inside her as the mirrors of the small ballroom rippled and darkened, a piercing wail reverberating against the walls.

Clapping her hand over her ears, Sarah screamed just as a few mirrors shattered around them. Jareth yelled something she couldn't make out, dropping to his knees and roughly shoving her underneath the piano just as the chandelier that hovered above their heads crashed to the floor.

"Get Ankou!" Sarah screamed at the maid, cutting her hands on a few flying shards of glass as she and Jareth tried to shield themselves from the debris.

The room darkened and Sarah willed herself to be strong, risking a glance around the room from the minimal safety under the piano.

What she saw made her moan in fear, a low, gut wrenching sound that tore its way from deep in her chest. Shadow People billowed out of the fractured mirrors, funneling into a frothing dark mass in the center of the ballroom. She opened her mouth to scream when she felt it turn and see her, Jareth jerking her back just in time, the beings slamming against the top of the piano, sending a loud discordant noise through the room.

"Stay here!" he barked, rolling out from underneath the piano and grappling with a long shard of glass. She watched as he cut his hands in an effort to hold the makeshift weapon, swinging it futilely at the angry mass of Shadow People.

Suddenly, time stilled. She watched Jareth fight, feeling tears flood her eyes, knowing what she had to do. "I'm sorry, Jareth," she whispered, knowing he wouldn't hear. "Forgive me. I love you."

Slipping out from underneath the piano, she backed up slowly, ignoring the stabbing pain that shot through her feet as she cut her heels on the shards of glass scattered across the floor, hoping the scent of her blood would grab their attention.

It did.

Just as they were about to overwhelm Jareth, they stopped and turned. Jareth noticed and turned as well, seeing her. Panic flooded his face as he tensed, raising a pleading hand to her. "Sarah, don't!"

"I love you," she whispered with a sad smile. He let out a harsh exhale on hearing her words.

She didn't wait to see his response. Turning and calling on all the energy she had, Sarah bolted down the hall, the Shadow People on her heels.

Jareth tried to follow her. But he found himself held fast by a few of the Shadow People who had given up the pursuit in order to restrain him. Thick, icy cold limbs wrapped tightly around him. He struggled against them in vain.

Not like this, he thought. Not when we've finally found each other.

He began to give in to the despair the washed over him, even as he struggled to follow her. The Shadow People, sensing his failing spirits, screamed in triumph, stripping the powerless life from him.

Jareth closed his eyes, sending up a silent prayer to Danu - Please not like this.

In the next moment both he and the Shadows were blown against the wall. Jareth was still intact when he landed. The Shadow People were not. The next sensation he felt was the curious and rapturous pain of all his cells waking up at once. Shaking with the pain and pleasure of all of his considerable power being shoved back into him at once, he cried out wordlessly, falling to his hands and knees as he rode out the sensations. When the feeling passed, he raised his eyes from the ground and tried to rally his senses.

Before him stood Ankou, King of the Reapers. No longer the amiable host, but a sallow and vicious thing - claws out, teeth bared, and eyes glowing with fury.

"Get. Up," he hissed at Jareth.

"They're after Sarah! We're under attack!" Jareth had regained his voice. His chest heaved from the shock of his powers being returned.

"Go after her." Ankou growled his orders to Jareth. "Fight them as best you can. I'll head them off from a different direction! Hurry!"

Jareth sprang into action and started running in the direction that Sarah had gone. Hoping he wasn't too late.

As soon as Jareth left the room, Shadows chasing him as he went, Ankou also disappeared. He had told Jareth to find Sarah, but the King of the Dead already knew exactly where she was.

Ankou materialized in a darkened stairwell not terribly far from the music room. The steps curved down away from him, plunging into the darkness below. Sarah had gone down there. Before he started his own descent, Ankou paused for a moment, listening for any hint that Jareth was nearby.

He was in luck. It appeared that Jareth had gone the other way. The hallway above him was silent. From below, the low rasping sound of chanting voices could be heard. The sound spurred him into action once again.

Moving silently, he darted down the stairs, still in the guise of the King of the Dead. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, his heart began to pound.

Sarah was sprawled on the cold stone floor not far from the foot of the stairs. Her cheek was pressed against the smooth stones and her eyes were closed. She looked as though she had been running when she hit the floor, but her position could also have been the result of a fall down the stairs. Ankou was unable to tell which had befallen her.

Either way, it didn't matter. Because when he stretched out his senses, looking for her life force, he couldn't find it. His heart stopped. He was too late!

Just as he was about to give in to despair he sensed it. The tiniest flicker of life from Sarah. She moaned softly, her eyelids fluttering. She was still fighting them!

With an angry roar, the King of the Dead charged the Shadow People, scattering them up the hallway. He stood over Sarah's still form like a vengeful guardian angel, shredding every Shadow he could get his claws on.

The killing seemed endless, but still they came- wave after wave of them, all intent on snuffing out the fragile life that flickered dangerously low beneath him. As he fought, his anger at his own stupid mistake roiled within him, and the thought of what it had almost cost him spurred him on. If he hadn't taken Jareth's magic, then the Goblin King would have been better equipped to fight the Shadow People and Sarah might not be lying nearly dead at his feet. As it was, he still wasn't sure that he would be able to clear the area of Shadows in time.

The very thought that he could still fail sent him into a blind rage. He whirled from side to side, mechanically hunting out every Shadow he could find and crushing it into nothing.

Eventually, Ankou reached out to destroy the next Shadow, only to find that there were none left. They had all either been destroyed or fled from the wrath of the Reaper King.

I took him a moment to realize that there were no more enemies to fight. Ankou stood still, blinking in the dim light of the hallway before he rushed back to Sarah, heedless of his appearance. His features slipped back to the more familiar ones of the Fae as he knelt down beside mortal woman.

With a shaking hand, he reached out to check her pulse at the neck.

Boom...boom...

It was slow and it was weak, but it was still there. Ankou sighed, he couldn't take any more chances. More Shadows could come at any moment. He had to make sure the release of power wouldn't wind up in their hands. He wrapped his hand firmly around the jaw of the helpless woman on the floor...

...and snapped her neck.

Sarah opened her eyes to find herself in a bright white landscape. It was utterly silent. Some distance away a thin wall of strange, grey energy rippling lazily across into infinity. A hand on her should startled her and she whirled around in alarm.

Ankou was standing before her, but not as she knew him. He still looked tired, but now he seemed much more like that young man in the crystal than the Reaper King. She quirked a questioning eyebrow at him, indicating his appearance.

"This is what my soul looks like. As there are three castles, there are three kings: The Reaper, the Lord, and the Man."

Sarah appraised her own body. She felt strong, stable, and very relaxed. "Am I dead?" she queried.

He nodded solemnly, watching her closely. Not everyone took the news of their death well.

"Did we win? Is Jareth alright?"

He took a deep breath. He should have known that she would ask about him before worrying about herself. "Almost," he replied.

"What do you mean, 'almost'," she asked sharply.

"There is one opportunity to save him," Ankou told her. "It would also allow you to be together."

"What?! How?! Why didn't you say anything before?" Sarah wailed.

His voice remained even, almost rehearsed as he explained. He had only one chance to get this right. "Suffice to say, it was not possible before now. Even I cannot defeat them all at once."

He picked up her left hand, indicating the ring. "But, as Goblin Queen AND Queen of the Dead, you could do so easily." He looked her in the eye. "You must accept my mantle. I will take your place in the afterlife."

He watched for some reaction but saw nothing. Sarah's attention was riveted on him, but nothing in her expression told him what she was thinking or feeling. He swallowed hard and continued, "This may seem like a great boon I am granting you. But truthfully, I yearn to rest. Be warned, if you accept this burden, it must be with an open heart. If not, everything will be lost."

Ankou paused for a beat, then he spoke again, a pleading note creeping into his voice despite his best efforts to banish it. "Please, Sarah, release me from my servitude."

He watched her face, waiting for her reaction. She was clearly trying to process everything he told her. Then, slowly, understanding dawn on her face and her eyes focused on him once more. Rather than the acceptance he had hoped to see, her gaze was full of anger and betrayal.

"This was your plan! You arranged all of this to happen so that you could be free!" Her voice grew higher and louder with outrage. "Did you sic the Shadow People on me too? How deep does your treachery run? How could you?!" At the last she started beating him with her fists in a blind flurry, he caught her arms.

"I did not set those things on you. Your death, and the consequences thereof, could not be avoided. But some good could be brought from it and yes, I brought it about in such a manner that it enabled you to take my place."

He looked into Sarah's bright eyes, allowing his own great sadness and hope to shine in his own, willing her to see it.

"Please. Save him. Save me."

After several tense minutes, Ankou saw the anger drain out of her body. She had made her decision. He could only pray that she had made the one he had hoped she would make in this moment.

"What must I do?"

Quicker than lightning Ankou pulled out a shard of obsidian. He made a shallow cut in his palm, then reached out to do the same to hers. There was no pain. He grasped her bleeding hand in his.

"Repeat after me: I, Sarah, accept the mantle of the Servant of Death. Until the reaping of the stars, I yield my fidelity."

Sarah said the words, but Ankou was plagued with doubts. Was it enough? Was she ready? Was she really certain enough to give herself over to this path, fully and unconditionally?

"When will we know if it works?"

"Soon." He said with a tight voice.

Taking a short breath, Ankou stepped forward. A great power began to stir the air around them, whipping their clothing around them. Sliding his hand around her head to cup the back of her neck, he brought his lips down over hers, kissing her forcefully.


	15. Chapter 15

Jareth staggered down the hall, torn and bleeding in a multitude of places. Behind him, a mass of Shadow People loomed silently. He managed to keep just out of reach for the time being.

Just like last time, he had found himself to be no match for the onslaught of so many Shadow People, even here in Ankou's realm and with his full power restored. The one and only thing that was keeping him going was the thought that Sarah was here somewhere, alone and afraid, running from the Shadow People just as he was.

"Sarah!" he yelled again.

He had made nearly a full circuit around the keep. He had checked every alcove and thrown open every door he could find, each time hoping that Sarah was hiding just out of sight. Jareth cursed himself for not seeing which way Sarah ran when she left the room.

As he cursed, he let his guard drop, no longer paying enough attention to his surroundings. With a hiss, a Shadow dropped on him from above, raking lines of burning fire across his scalp. The others closed in as the Goblin King staggered against the wall, grappling with the Shadow that was clinging to his shoulders. The thing hissed in his face, its breath washing over him. It filled him with a sense of depression and apathy that he had never felt before. In that moment, he wanted to simply give up and let the Shadows kill him.

Jareth snarled, his face twisting with effort, as he summoned his power in a massive burst, pushing the Shadows back. He pushed off the wall and staggered onward, still determined to find Sarah.

He found her just around the next bend.

She lay on the floor at the bottom of a staircase, all alone, without a Shadow in sight. With a despairing cry, Jareth threw himself to the ground next to her, heedless of the mass of Shadow People converging at his back.

"Sarah?" he whispered. In his head, he knew she was gone, but his heart refused to believe. He checked her pulse, praying to every god he had ever heard of that he would find one. There was nothing.

Her body was still warm and she seemed like she was simply sleeping as he gathered her into his arms and began to rock back and forth, tears streaming down his face.

"No, Sarah... not yet..." he sobbed. "Don't leave me here alone, Precious. Not alone..." He pressed his forehead against hers as he continued, brokenly begging her not to cross the veil yet.

His grief was interrupted by a searing line of pain that ran down his back. He felt the blood welling from the three parallel slash marks that ran from his right shoulder down to the middle of his back.

Jareth screamed in pain and frustration. Glancing back, he saw the Shadow people massing. Even more frightening, they now had eyes: demonic red orbs that glowed malevolently in the dim corridor. Each pair of eyes was fixed hungrily on the Goblin King.

Jareth's stomach dropped as fear filled him, taking root for the first time since the Shadow People appeared. He suddenly understood. They had been cheated of Sarah's death, and they were filled with rage. Rage that they were now preparing to vent on him.

As he stared at the ever increasing number of chilling eyes, the fear suddenly drained from him. Acceptance, and even excitement, filled him in its place. He turned away from them to look down at Sarah.

"Wait for me, Precious, I'm coming."

He gently laid her down on the floor, caressing her face one last time before he stood and turned to the seething mass of Shadow People who were poised to attack. Spreading his hands Jareth's eyes grew hard.

"Well? What are you waiting for?"

With a demonic roar, the Shadow People sprang at the Goblin King, swarming him.

Jareth stood alone against the hoard. As they sprang at him, he let the power of the Labyrinth rise within him. He pulled more of it than he ever had before, holding nothing back. His form ignited with power, his body burning like a torch of pure magic. His mismatched eyes blazed with fury as time seemed to slow for him. He could have easily counted every claw that reached out to tear into his flesh.

With a maniacal grin, Jareth created a lethal bubble of magic around himself, pouring every ounce of power that he had into it. He let out a guttural scream as the first of the Shadow People struck the barrier and exploded into tiny shadow fragments that melted away in the blaze of light pouring through the hallway. He was ready to die, but he was going to take as many of these bastards with him as he could. He would expend every last ounce of power that he had, leaving nothing but his own life force for them to take. They would have their victory, but the Goblin King intended to ensure that it was a hollow one.

The Shadow People threw themselves at his barrier, over and over. With each blow, Jareth could feel the magic grow weaker, but each blow also meant one less enemy. Slowly, the glow of his magic receded as it was depleted.

As the light flickered and went out, the Shadows gave a snarl of triumph. Jareth dropped into a crouch, determined to fight to the end. A triumphant smile crossed his face as he waited for them to end him.

Just before they overwhelmed him, a flicker of movement caught Jareth's attention. There, beyond the mass of Shadow People, he caught a glimpse of the King of the Dead, hooded and cloaked as he watched the Goblin King's final moments. Jareth had just a moment to acknowledge Ankou with a nod before he was knocked to the ground.

Jareth went limp as the Shadow People tore into him. He closed his eyes and waited for Death to claim him. He welcomed the oppressive sensation of being overwhelmed. In his heartbreak and despair, the thought of reuniting with Sarah made him yearn for the end to come sooner rather than later.

He let out a slow sigh and had almost succumbed to unconsciousness when suddenly, the loud piercing wails of the Shadow People drew him back from the cusp. Their cries were different this time - not fueled by rage, but something different altogether. Frowning, Jareth struggled to understand what he was hearing. Was that...fear? He must have been closer to death than he realized, once more almost allowing himself to succumb to the blackness that yawned at the edges of his vision.

He felt the oppressive feeling lift and then dissipate entirely, flickering his eyelids open, he watched Ankou's cloak billow around the Shadow People, destroying them into nothing more than a smattering of smoke. As they were obliterated around him, a white light pierced his vision and he hissed, drawing a bleeding hand over his face.

Suddenly, he was filled with sadness and rage. "I was so close," he whispered, his lips barely moving. Now that Sarah was gone, he didn't care that the King saw him break, a loose sob wrenching from his chest.

He felt Ankou's hand touch his shoulder and he wrenched back violently, his eyes closed. "I was so close to joining her. Why? Why did you take it from me? WHY?"

His harsh breathing was all that filled the stairwell and he broke again, another hoarse sob tearing from his chest. He couldn't force himself to even look at Ankou.

"How could you? Must you be that cruel?"

His lips twisted bitterly as he turned away and began to drag himself across the floor toward Sarah's body, his head down and tears still filling his eyes.

Jareth's only thought was to curl up next to Sarah and wait for death. Without her, his life had no meaning. He reached out blindly, expecting to find Sarah, but his hand met only cold stone. He blinked furiously, looking around in confusion. Sarah's body was gone.

Screaming in rage, Jareth staggered to his feet. He whirled on Ankou his fists clenched.

"You fucking bastard! Why! Why do you take even this cold comfort from me!?" He stumbled toward the King of the Dead, wanting to tear him apart, even as tears of rage and sorrow once again blinded him.

Jareth's knees gave out and he fell to the ground before he could reach Ankou, who stood silently in the face of Jareth's rage. He bowed his head, his fists still clenched. "Bring her body back," he begged. "Please... bring her back. Just give me that much... I'm begging you, Ankou. Let me take her home to the Labyrinth. Don't take her from me-"

"Jareth..."

Sarah's voice floated through the hall and the Goblin King looked around wildly, searching for her. There was no sign of her.

"Sarah!?" Agony and hope chased each other across his face as he turned to Ankou. "Where is she?"

Jareth watched in consternation as the King of the Dead sank down to kneel on the floor with him. Slowly, a pair of smooth smooth white hands reached up to grasp the edges of the dark hood that hid his features before the hood was pushed back.

Jareth gasped, his heart stopping.

It was Sarah.

Sarah looked like herself, but changed. Her face and bearing had a much more regal countenance. Her eyes the impenetrable black of a reaper. Jareth found himself torn. He wanted with all his heart to believe it was her. But if it wasn't, he surely wouldn't survive the heartbreak.

"Sarah?" He whispered weakly. Bringing a shaking hand up to touch her face. It was solid. This was real. A single tear fled from her eyes and he caught it with his thumb. It was warm. She nodded, smiling at him with relief and joy.

"Sarah."

In the next moment they were devouring each other in a kiss that expressed all the love and passion they had felt the past few weeks but had been unable to show. Touching each other wherever possible like starving people. Clamoring to confirm that every inch of the person they loved was with them.

Eventually, Jareth tore his mouth away from her, his eyes eagerly devouring her face as his fingers ghosted over her jaw. He didn't even care that they trembled as they retraced the lines of her that he had long since committed to memory.

"How?" He whispered, watching her face return slowly to the one he knew, save for the eyes. Still, despite the otherworldly feel about her - he knew this was HIS Sarah. Somehow, she was back.

"I'll explain soon," she murmured with a smile, reaching up and cupping his cheek. Jareth blinked as the contact sent a spark through him and he looked down, instantly healed.

He quirked a brow at her and she grinned faintly. Suddenly, a few other screams wrenched the air and they both tensed. Jareth stiffened, realizing not all of the Shadow People were removed. He watched in fascination as Sarah's countenance shifted, turning her into something far deadlier than she'd ever been as a mortal.

Looking around, he opened his mouth to ask about Ankou but Sarah took his hand in hers, moving up the stairs.

They stumbled into the hallway, watching the staff grapple with the remaining horde of Shadow People. Jareth was briefly startled to find that while holding Sarah's hand, he could suddenly see everyone he couldn't before.

Slowly, anger seemed to almost vibrate off Sarah, drawing him back to the present. Watching her with a sense of awe, he observed as she raised a hand. And just like that - the Shadow People were no more.

Jareth felt immense satisfaction watching the deaths of the Shadow People who had almost cost him everything.

When she turned, her face was still cold but a smile tugged at her lips.

"How do you feel about returning Aboveground to demonstrate a little lesson?"

Jareth realized what she meant and grinned wolfishly, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. "I would love nothing more."


	16. Chapter 16

**Epilogue**

A few hours later, Sarah and Jareth returned to her new realm. The staff had sensed the change, but hadn't had a chance to whisper to one another about their new Mistress, and most likely new male consort. Still, they were teeming with excitement. They hadn't seen this much change in over a millennia.

Sarah did not stop to chat with her new subjects either. Waving them away, she gave orders that she was not to be disturbed, but called Brigid to attend them as she led Jareth to their rooms.

Brigid objected when Sarah insisted on staying in the rooms they had been occupying previously.

"But, beggin' your pardon, Your Majesty. The rooms meant for you are so much grander than these," Brigid said, looking around.

Sarah laughed lightly, "I'm sure they are Brigid, but for now, I think Jareth and I will be perfectly comfortable here. Have the Queen's Chambers made ready, I'll move into them next week."

"If you're sure…" Brigid hedged.

The new Queen of the Dead nodded firmly. "I'm sure, Brigid."

Brigid bobbed a small curtsey and turned to leave the room. Before drifting through the wall, she turned back to Sarah. "If you don't mind my asking, Sar- I mean, Your Majesty. What did you do to the Shadow People?"

Sarah simply smiled and then shrugged her shoulder, a glimmer in her dark eyes. "Let's just say, that with both the Mistress of Death and the Master of Dreams threatening them, I don't think they'll be a problem going forward."

Brigid blinked but made no reply, turning and fading into the wall without a word. Later, when the others asked her about the new Mistress she only gave this reply: "I'm glad to have had a chance to get to know her before she became the Queen. She's every bit as deadly as the old Master was, but perhaps less morose. Still, her look and her voice when she spoke of the Shadow People... It was chilling, it was."

Alone in their room at last, Jareth looked around, taking in the gloomy atmosphere. "Can we change the decor in the keep?" he asked.

Sarah looked at him, quirking an eyebrow quizzically. "Why?"

"Because it's so... so... gloomy and gothic!"

Sarah laughed. Leave it to Jareth to complain about something so silly after everything they'd been through. "Sorry, Love. It suits me. I don't think I want to change it."

Jareth sighed, grumbling under his breath, as Sarah seated herself on the bed where they had spent so many nights together. He sat next to her, immediately pulling her into his arms. She relaxed into him, resting her head on his shoulder as she had so often when she's been ill.

They sat there, just enjoying the feel of being together.

"What happened to Ankou?" Jareth suddenly asked in a quiet voice.

"He crossed through the veil," Sarah replied, smiling to herself as the memory of what had happened after Ankou kissed her flooded through her mind-

_As Ankou broke the kiss, Sarah gasped. Power flooded through her, painfully expanding as it filled her. Her vision darkened for a moment and she closed her eyes as she adjusted to her new state of being._

_When she opened her eyes again, Ankou stood before her, no longer the fearsome King of the Dead. His face was relieved and there were tears rolling down his face._

_"Thank you, Sarah."_

_Behind him, Sarah could see a shimmering in the air, as though a sparkling curtain hung between this plane and the next. With a flash of intuition, Sarah realized that she was looking at the veil between the astral plane and the next world, just as she had before. Only now, she was seeing it as it really was through the eyes of a reaper._

_As she gazed at it in awe, a figure appeared, standing within the shimmering curtain of the veil. Sarah blinked, attempting to sort the sparkles of the veil from the features of the figure waiting there. Slowly, the features of the figure resolved into those of the woman Sarah had seen in Ankou's memories and she smiled at her._

_Ankou looked over his shoulder. When he saw the woman, his entire bearing changed. Sarah could practically feel the waves of excitement and joy radiating off of him._

_He turned back to Sarah once more. He opened his mouth to speak but Sarah cut him off._

_"She's waiting for you," she told him with a smile. "Your long separation is over. Go to her." She made a little motion with her hand, urging him to go._

_Ankou smiled his gratitude one last time before turning and running to the woman. They met within the shimmering veil and Sarah smiled to see Ankou take the woman into his arms. They shared a passionate kiss before turning to wave farewell to Sarah._

_Then, hand in hand, they passed into the next world._

"He's gone," Sarah whispered softly, caressing Jareth's face.

"What do you mean? He's gone? So you're..." He frowned, glancing over her before stilling. His eyes briefly widened. "Oh."

Sarah smiled faintly, catching his hand that briefly ran through her hair as he was pulling it back. "Yes, oh. Does that bother you?"

Jareth slowly shook his head, simply staring. He thought of what to say - the immense joy at seeing her again, the gratitude that she wouldn't be taken from him by time or illness, now that she was immortal like him. So he simply fumbled with one word spoken reverently as he leaned forward and kissed her.

"Forever?"

"Forever," she agreed, returning his kiss.

Jareth moaned softly and gave in to the sensation, tugging her close.

Just as they rolled into the bed, he leaned back with a grin. "You do realize we're going to have to share domains, right? If you won't change the blasted decor, you've got to spend some time dealing with goblins and chicken fodder with me back at the Labyrinth."

Sarah laughed and tugged him down onto the bed with her. "Deal."

They didn't leave their chambers for almost a week - which once more sent the staff into a tizzy of gossip, not that they cared one bit.

As they ruled happily, secure in their power and love, two pairs of eyes would occasionally glance down from the Summerlands, peeping through the veil to see how the Goblin King and the Queen of the Dead were faring.

Claire leaned into the crook of her husband's shoulder. "I agree with Jareth, they should redecorate," she teased jovially.

"That place has been exactly the same for every monarch who has passed through there. It's a pillar to eternity!"

"Moody eternity." She poked him in the ribs. "I don't think it helped you to be surrounded by all that black and blue. My silly man doesn't thrive in humorless stone."

Ankou dropped a kiss on to his wife's head. One of thousands since they had been reunited.

"No, I certainly didn't. Even in death I couldn't live without you."

Claire raised her face and nuzzled his nose. "Come, my love. Let's go have dinner."

They walked through the eternal garden that Claire had built to a perfect little cottage of their dreams. And there, they shared their own forever.

~Fin~

**Author's Note:**

> Authors
> 
> AvaloneBane  
> breejah0923(FFN)/breejah(AO3)  
> LiteraryRhapsody  
> Sarah198026(wattpad)


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